The Future Starts Today
by naybaybay
Summary: Sequel to "The Past Starts Tomorrow". Kate and Rick are engaged and planning their wedding. But this is planet Earth and things always interject. Henceforth, the pair learns that some interruptions are bad, but some interruptions can be incredibly sweet. Rated M for a VERY good reason :p
1. Chapter 1

**Heya folks, so here it is - the long anticipated (mostly by me!) sequel to "The past starts tomorrow". s/7704580/1/The_bPast_b_bStarts_b_bTomorrow_b**

**I have a really cool idea for this story that I think (hope) will be interesting to read and rather beautiful in its conclusion. Not sure how many chapters it will be, but stick with me along the journey and let's make just a little bit o' magic! **

**DISCLAIMER: I am really happy to say that I do not own this and that the folks who do are bloody legends! (Such a proud little fangirl :D) **

...

Richard Castle and Katherine Beckett sat together, contented in each others arms. The month was June and it was warm outside, life moved swiftly, people jostling constantly, everywhere, right outside their Manhattan window. The world was busy, constant change in technology, environment, climate keeping it on its toes. Usually the dynamic duo sitting in this particular living room of this particular loft were a part of that hustle and bustle.

But right now, for a rare moment in their busy lives, the two of them just...sat.

It had been a month since Rick was discharged (or "released" as he called it) from Mount Cinai Hospital. His stomach wound required changes only every four days now and his brain had never been sharper... or wittier, which sometimes was endearing to Kate, his fiance and oftentimes, extremely irritating.

But for now, she was content and in love and irritated only by the fact that the closeness of them was not close enough.

And when she heard his silvery voice, she still shuddered. "Are you happy?" He murmured.

Kate Beckett sighed into her fiances chest, toying with the buttons of his light blue shirt. A hint of a smile crept onto her lips as she shook her head lightly. Looking up at him with brightly sparkling eyes, full of love and devotion.

Full of happiness.

"What do you think?"

The lines that seeped outward from his eyes crinkled lightly as he gazed at her. "I think I'm the luckiest man alive and if you're not happy now then I will devote the rest of my life to making you so."

Kate's smile widened as she reached up gently to let her fingers play with the dimple on his chin. "I'm happy", she whispered.

He took her hand in his and kissed the fingers that had been tickling his chin. He sighed happily. "Me too."

Kate shifted her body closer into him. "God did good here... with us."

"God huh?"

Kate rolled her eyes, already knowing what was coming.

"So _God_ compelled some psycho to murder three people in lieu of the way they were killed in my books, leading you to seek me out with the pretense of acquiring my insights."

"He knew I loved you when I first read "Storm Warning", it was all in the cards", Kate smiled with a furrowed brow as she sometimes did when she couldn't decide if she was serious or not.

"Hmm, so you really believe that there's a being out there that controls what happens to us?" Castle asked her cheek.

Kate inhaled a long breath. "I think there's a force out there that gives us possibilities, gives us routes and ways to go. I think we choose our own path from what's provided, but it is sort of being monitored and controlled. Lessons are learned, people make mistakes and it provides knowledge for future generations."

"Speaking of future generations, what time does Alexis finish today?" Castle checked his watch, noting sub-conciously that it was 2:37pm.

"Around five, but then she's going out for drinks with Max."

Castle's body instantly stiffened. "Who the hell's Max?" He asked with an indignant tone.

Kate shifted next to him, tilting her chin to pout at him. "The guy she's been seeing for the last couple of weeks."

Castle jumped back in his seat. "Whoa - no, no. _My_ daughter does not "see guys". She may date, she may go out, she may have a good time, but "_seeing_" people implies more than just having fun."

The corner of Kate's lips curled upward into a small smirk. "Hunny, she's eighteen years old, her idea of "having fun" may be different from anything you even want to think about."

Castle's eyes bulged. "What! Oh that's it, I'm calling her..."

Kate grabbed his arm, holding him to the couch. "Rick, come on, she's a highly responsible young woman, you know she wouldn't do anything stupid."

Castle shook his head. "This is just so... not-" He groaned, flopping back on the couch.

Kate brought her hand up to tug on his collar. "Hey, look at me."

He sighed and lowered his eyes to meet hers.

Stroking his neck lightly, she spoke tenderly to him. "Do you trust me?"

He gaped at her silently. "Of course I do."

"Maxwell Durnham is nineteen years old, his mother owns a very successful catering company, his father is a banker. He has a single piercing in his left ear that he's had since age eleven and he hasn't a single blemish on his record."

Castle looked at her with a sideways smile. "You did a background check on him?"

Kate shrugged. "Alexis has the freedom and choice to make her own mistakes but she's my girl, I'm definitely not going to have a hand in encouraging them."

Castle chuckled.

Kate pinched his cheek. "What?"

He gave her a gentle squeeze. "Nothing, I just never knew God could look so hauntingly beautiful."

Kate rolled her eyes at him. "Alright, so now that we know that Alexis is safe and happy, it's time to make a start on making our happiest day possible."

"Oh right, yeah wake me up when it's August 25th OK?" Castle said lightly, leaning his head back on the couch.

She whacked him swiftly on the chest. "Seriously, we have less than three months to plan this wedding, you are not bailing out on me."

Castle sighed deeply. "I thought women liked to do all the planning when it came to these things."

"Yeah, well you have a lot more experience at "these things" than I do", Kate winked at him.

"Uh yeah, obviously not a good omen", Castle reminded her.

"Oh well, I guess I'll go taste-testing all that delicious cake tomorrow all by myself. Shame."

She tried to hold back her laughter as she saw Castle's face contort. "Well, in my experience one of the groom's primary jobs is to make sure the bride fits into her dress, so I can't just let you go pigging out on cake." He sighed dramatically. "I suppose I'd better do my part."

She cupped his chin and made a kissy face. "Oh such a good boy."

"Yup, you got one of the last ones", Castle grinned cheekily.

Kate reached up behind his head and brought his mouth to hers. "Best part is, he can also be very bad."

Castle gasped against her lips. "Detective...you wouldn't be trying to seduce me, would you?"

"Oh you bet I am Mr. Castle", Kate ran her foot seductively along his calf.

"What about our impending vows?" Castle asked with a straight face.

"I promise to love, honor and... obey", Beckett whispered breathily into his ear before darting her tongue out to lick it.

Castle looked at her hungrily. "In that case..."

He attacked her with a raw and unbridled passion. Planning to make love to his beautiful fiance as if it were their first time again.

Her cellphone however, had other plans.

Castle made a loud noise of protest as Kate rolled off him to pick it up. "Damn you phone, damn you to hell!"

Kate shushed him before answering it. "Beckett."

"Detective, I need you down here now, we've got a very messy crime scene on our hands", Gates' no-nonsense voice filtered through the phone.

"What're the stats?" Beckett asked seriously.

Castle's eyes lit up. "Body?" He mouthed.

She nodded once and the writer jumped off the couch, running to his bedroom eagerly to fetch his shoes.

"First blush, it looks like a drug deal gone wrong, ending with a young man with a bullet in his neck", Gates told the detective regretfully.

Beckett ran a hand through her hair. "Alright, location?"

By the time Gates had given Beckett the location of the crime scene, Castle was back at Beckett's side, shoes on, keys in hand, waiting with the anticipation similar to a puppy waiting to be taken for a walk.

"Alright, we'll be there soon", Beckett told her captain and then swiftly hung up before the woman could say another word.

Gates hadn't exactly been thrilled with the idea of Castle and Beckett working together and being together simultaneously, but because Castle was not actually employed by the NYPD, there really wasn't much she could do about terminating their partnership.

"Where's the body and is it bloody?" Castle asked her with a low but excited tone.

"Blood, drugs...it's a doozy Castle, your kind of crime scene", Beckett told him with a roll of her eyes.

"Well, come on then, we'd better get down there, murders do not solve themselves", Castle said as he shuffled Beckett out of the door of the loft.

Beckett shook her head at him with a lopsided grin. "You know Rick, sometimes I think you're only interested in me for my bodies."

...


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright folks, here's Ch. 2 :-)**

...

Mist from the vent of a large building billowed around the ankles of Castle and Beckett, clouding their initial view of the dead body they knew was near to them.

The dark hair of the medical examiner stood stark against the white smoke.

"Hey Lanie", Kate greeted her casually.

"Hey you two", Lanie smirked up at the pair of them. Kate rolled her eyes, it had been three weeks since their engagement was announced to those she worked with, and the teasing and sappy comments had by no means started to subside.

Castle seemed to revel in it, he grinned down at the M.E before taking a pair of blue gloves from one of her assistants and crouching down beside his fiance to examine the body of a young hispanic male.

"GSW to the neck, clean shot, precise, bullet's a 9 mil."

"Time of death?" Kate squinted at her friend in the morning sun.

"Body temp suggests between two to four hours ago but because of the rays beating down on us, I'm gonna say closer to five."

"So around five thirty am", Kate nodded to herself.

"What happened to Gates?" Castle asked Lanie.

"She had to be in court. She wouldn't have called you guys otherwise, it would appear you're not exactly her favorite people right now."

Castle smiled stiffly. "Oh, she probably just wanted to give us some quality time together... it's sweet really."

"Yeah, her exact words when she left were: "Damn that judge and his impractical timing. Don't you dare let that writer clown touch my crime scene."

"See, last week she called me "that writer animal". Clown has a less derogatory connotation to it... she's warming up to me", Castle beamed.

Kate and Lanie shared a look of amusement and pity.

"Hey Boss", Ryan appeared at their side, greeting the female detective. "Meet Alonso Ramirez, twenty years old, resident of... that alley", The detective pointed across the road to a dark and narrow alley.

"The things people sacrifice for drugs", Kate shook her head as she counted the seven spilled bags of cocaine around his person.

"So far we haven't been able to locate any reliable witnesses, but the first officer on the scene, Officer John Wilkes, said he found the body just like this, with the bags of coke sprawled out all over the body."

"If this was a drug deal, why are the drugs still here?" Castle asked with a confused frown.

"Maybe something scared the killer off. Maybe he got guilty", Ryan shrugged.

Beckett shook her head. "No, drug addicts don't feel guilt, only hunger for what they need, their next hit...this wasn't just a drug deal, something else was going on between the vic and the assailant. What do we know about this guy?"

"What we know right now is that he wasn't a beggar, he just lived frugally, never really asked for anything. The owner of the restaurant across the street says she sometimes gave him the left overs out of the kitchen."

"Kind hearted woman", Castle mused.

"Yeah well, Esposito sure seems to think so", Ryan smirked as they all turned their heads to see the detective's partner chatting up the beautiful young restaurant owner.

Lanie's face went from shocked to absolutely pissed as she stood up and threw a faux smile the way of her colleagues. "Ahem, excuse me", she stood and waltzed purposefully over to where her boyfriend was seemingly charming the young restauranteur. The other two detectives and the writer all pursed their lips and turned their attention back to the victim as Lanie very obviously began to scold Esposito.

"Anyway...returning to Mr. Ramirez. Miss Locke, our demure restauranteur mentioned to me that he had been living in this little piece of paradise for about eight weeks. But here's the weird thing, she's certain he cleaned up with the help of his sister. She's been visiting him here once a week since he arrived but she says the two of them had a... tense relationship."

"Tense?" Kate prompted him to elaborate.

"He said to Miss Locke, and I quote: "Mia and I, we are blood so we are bound to take care of each other. But she needs to break the bond and move on, I am no longer worth the things she has to lose."

"That's his sister's name...Mia?"

Ryan shrugged. "That's what it would seem."

"That's a pretty heavy statement for someone to make, especially someone so young", Castle mused.

Kate's mouth twisted as she addressed her co-worker. "See if you can track down the sister. We'll talk to the restaurant owner, see if there's anything else she can tell us."

"You got it", Ryan nodded.

Kate walked over to where Rachel Locke was standing, looking a little bemused after her encounter with the feisty Dr. Parish.

"Miss Locke? I'm detective Beckett", she introduced herself to the woman. "Can you tell me everything you know about Mr. Ramirez?"

The woman ran a finger through her long, way hair. "Uh well, Al, as he was known, he really wasn't any trouble, I never had any disturbances or complaints about him. He was just a young kid, down on his luck, and I knew he'd had a problem with drugs but I thought that was all in the past. I never expected to see him end up like this... I guess you see this kind of thing all the time but it's still so tragic", she bent her head.

"Yes it is", Kate returned.

"So um, I found him out here at around 8:45 when I came to check the fuse box, some of the appliances had blown in our kitchen. When I switched it back on, I noticed that Al wasn't in his usual spot. I looked around for him and that's when I saw a body and I just knew it was him."

"And then you called the police?" Kate questioned her further.

"Well luckily there was an policeman just up the street, he'd just finished the night patrol shift on Canal Street."

"Right, Officer Wilkes."

"Mhm, yeah that's him... where is he? I wanted to thank him. He was so calm, really helped me to relax when I got a little emotional and animated", Rachel laughed.

Beckett offered her a smile. "He's probably given his statement to our other detectives already and gone home, but I will pass on your thanks to him."

"Thank you detective", the young woman said genuinely.

"If there's anything else you can think of that might be important, please contact me", Beckett gave her one last smile and walked back to the body, where her partner had not moved from. She took him in, staring regretfully at the body in front of him.

"Rick, you OK?"

He swallowed and nodded but did not draw his attention away from the boy lying dead on the cold, hard ground.

"I just... sometimes I feel like I don't do enough."

"Enough? Enough for what?" Kate asked him gently.

"Enough for people like him.", Castle motioned toward the body of Alonso Ramirez. "I have all this money and although I'm exposed to all the famine and hunger this city goes through every day, I never really... see it."

Kate stepped gingerly over to him and took his hand in her own. "You're seeing it right now."

He sighed and turned to look at her. "So why am I not doing anything about it?"

She frowned at him. "You_ are_ doing something about it. How many drug dealers have we taken off the streets over the past four years? Do you even know how many kids like him you have saved", she nodded toward the young man.

Kate brought her other hand to cover their already joined ones. "You're right, you don't see it; the change, the good you're doing... but it doesn't mean it's not happening."

He squeezed her hand gently. "Thank you."

Lightly, she tugged on him until he followed her, still holding her hand. They were half way to the car before she squeezed his hand back with a smile and told him -

"Always."

...

**A/N: OK so I know where I want to go with the storyline for this, and I had expected to get there by now, but for some reason I feel this story should be paced like a scene for each chapter. I think, in the end it will work better that way. So, more good stuff soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi again everyone, thank you SO MUCH for all the support this story is receiving, and also all the folks out there who are still reading and adding to their favorites, my other stories like "The Bexhills" and of course, "The Past Starts Tomorrow" and also some of my one-shots. **

**I can't explain how satisfying it is for an author to have people still reading their stories months after they've written them, so thank you. I do a little dance whenever I get an e-mail telling me I've got a story alert or a favorite, and especially when I've got a review **

**So CHEERS everyone! **

**This chapter is finally going to start warming up to the real plot of the story now, so I hope you enjoy reading it and are pleased with it :-) P.S. I am! **

**...**

Kate and Castle were sitting on the edge of Kate's desk, eyes scanning the board. Photographs of Alonso Ramirez were hanging by a single pin, the brilliant blue of it always seemed strange to Castle, because it stuck out so boldly against the grey and red of the photographs that usually dressed the board.

Photographs of bodies, blood; in dark alleys.

Ryan's voice broke his thoughts of the color spectrum.

"So the prints on the bags of coke came back to two parties; Ellis Morton, AKA "Elmo", and the vic's sister, Mia Ramirez."

"Elmo? I thought we put that guy away", Kate frowned.

Ryan nodded. "Yeah, we did but you know, he served his time and now he's back in the game."

Kate stood. "Yeah well, it's time he was back in the pit... get him down here", Kate instructed Ryan.

Instead of leaving to do his job, Ryan stood in front of them, moving back and forward on the balls of his feet, wide-eyed and cheeks puffed, looking ready to self-combust.

"Ah Ryan, what's with you? You look like you swallowed Christmas", Castle told him, narrowing his eyes.

Ryan sighed dramatically and his his own leg for dramatic effect. "Ugh, I'm not supposed to say."

"Then don't", Kate offered lightly, turning on her heel to return to her desk.

Ryan grabbed her arm and spun her back around. "Oh but I've got to!"

Kate chuckled looking at him with amusement. "Alright, we won't pass it on", Kate promised.

"Scouts honor", Castle held up his left hand and Kate rolled her eyes at him.

Ryan took in a deep breath. "OK, well", he stopped and laughed rather giddily. "I'm- we're... Jenny's pregnant!"

Kate and Castle's faces light up as they whooped and hollered as quietly as possible. Castle shook his hand and Kate gave him a discreet hug.

"Congratulations Kevin, the kid is lucky", Castle smiled at him genuinely.

Ryan was beaming and he shook his head. "I'm...I'm going to be a daddy", he laughed again.

Kate grinned. "I'm so happy for you both."

Ryan turned to Castle. "So Rick, you're a father, and Alexis is... so great. Please, you have to tell me what you did."

Castle spluttered a little. "Uh, well Kevin you ah, you have a badge so you probably wouldn't want to do a lot of the things I did while raising Alexis... Believe me, the way that girl turned out had very little to do with the way I raised her. She's just a miracle."

Kate looked at him softly. "Come on Rick, give yourself a little credit."

She turned to Ryan. "Kevin, the most important thing to do for your kids is to give them time... As much as you think the other things in your life are important... they're not, not when it comes to your children. As long as they want you in their lives, you _have_ to be there, because someday, you won't be"

Ryan and Castle both looked at her in awe. "And how do you know so much about parenting, Miss Kate?" Castle asked her in a silvery tone.

Kate smiled lightly. "I know next to nothing about parenting, but I do know about being a child who just wanted her parents to be there in so many instances they weren't."

Castle gazed upon her sadly. "I think we all need to look back at ourselves sometimes, find our inner child and consult them."

This made Kate grin. "Don't you do that all the time?" She directed toward Castle.

Before Castle could come back with a retort, Esposito sauntered up to them. "Yo guys, we've got an address for Mia Ramirez", he held up a small slip of yellow paper.

"282 Berry Street", Kate read. "OK, let's go."

Ryan was still standing on the spot, looking bleary-eyed.

"Vamonos papaito", Esposito grabbed him by sleeve and dragged him along, shaking his head and grinning.

...

The team arrived in Brooklyn and, after donning their bullet-proof vests and strapping themselves with their glocks, they all moved swiftly from where their cars were parked, up to the four story brick building and up the narrow stairs to apartment 2B, where Mia Ramirez resided.

Esposito took point. "NYPD, open up", he hollered out in the dark and dusty hall. Kate gave him a prompting look.

"Mia Ramirez, we have a warrant to search your place, you need to open this door right now or we will have no choice but to enter forcefully."

Suddenly a gun shot rang out, followed by the sound of something smashing to the ground.

"Going in", Esposito said hurriedly, before kicking down the door of the apartment.

Four cops that were with them barreled in to clear the room, yelling at the top of their lungs for everyone...anyone to show their hands and get down on the ground.

Only no one was there.

One of the cops who had gone into what appeared to be a bedroom, called out in a panic.

"Detectives, in here."

Kate and Castle rushed in, followed quickly by Ryan and Esposito.

A young hispanic woman, lay on her 3/4 single bed, which was really just a stained mattress. She was barely conscious, and she was bleeding badly from her stomach.

Castle noticed the broken ceramic vase lying in pieces on the bedroom floor.

Someone yelled for paramedics, and Castle and Kate vaguely heard someone else say something about an ambulance being there in ten minutes.

"Ma'am, Ma'am are you Mia Ramirez?" Kate crowded over the young woman.

The lady let out a short groan and closed her eyes, bending her head forward in an attempt to nod.

"We're getting you some help so you stay with us OK?" Kate instructed her softly.

Mia coughed and her body shook in waves of pain and disorientation.

A tear fell down her cheek. "Mikki", she croaked.

Kate's brow furrowed with no understanding. "Mikki? Is that your boyfriend?" She asked the woman gently.

More tears, faster now, at the bottom of her chin, they mingled with the blood that spilled from her mouth when she spoke. "My daughter", she whimpered.

Kate panicked. "Where is she?"

"I don't know, I don't-kn-" the woman's desperate voice faded off and Kate froze. She knelt lower over the woman, not knowing how to proceed, she did all she knew how and she pleaded with the young woman to "hang on", to "keep thinking about your daughter".

But it was too late. Mia Ramirez had already died.

Kate let out a shuddery breath and she turned back to Castle and the rest of her team, with pain in her eyes.

Castle came behind her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, silently prompting her to step away. It was then he noticed that she was holding the victim's hand. He felt her shaking beneath him and he gently leaned over her and took both the women's hands in his own, before pulling Kate's away.

Kate put her hand to her head and clambered off the bed. She cleared her throat. "Cancel the ambulance, call the coroner...Send out a search for her daughter, I don't know how old she is but the mother's only twenty-three so she's definitely a minor", Kate choked and exhaled shakily. "And, um..." her voice finally gave way to her emotions and she could only make a noise between a cry and a whimper.

Castle took her in his arms, lightly stroking her hair.

Ryan and Esposito looked on, both looking forlorn. "We're on it boss", Ryan assured her, even though she had her back turned to them.

Castle gave them a look of gratitude and they left the room.

After a few seconds, Kate muttered into Castle's shirt. "Are they gone?"

"Yeah, they've gone to find the girl, hun."

Kate let out a noise of frustration and pushed herself off her fiance, wiping her face as she did. "That was so unprofessional of me", she groused.

Castle frowned as he kept his hand firm on her shoulder. "Hey, the only thing unprofessional in this job is having absolutely no respect or care for the people you're dealing with. Having no real interest or pride in catching the people responsible. Getting emotional over someone you were too late to save? That's reality. That's what proves we're human."

"Rick, look..." Kate's eyes darkened as she moved around to the other side of the bed where a shiny glock was lying.

Kate looked up at him, brow furrowed and eyes dim. "This could be the weapon that was used to kill her brother."

Castle swallowed slowly. "But then who shot _her_?"

Just then, a rattling noise came from a nearby cupboard door.

Kate drew her gun, but her hands were shaking. Castle stepped in front of her holding out his hand to stop her. "I got this, just back me up", he told her firmly.

"Rick!" Kate whispered furiously.

Castle ignored her as he took in a long breath before quickly opening the door and jumping back with his eyes closed, as if not seeing who or what was in there would make a difference to them attacking him.

After five seconds of him still being alive and unharmed, Castle opened one eye to see a dark haired little girl with bright brown eyes, siting in the cupboard holding the bottom of a beaded lace dress to her mouth and chewing on it.

Castle's turned slowly to his partner and announced in surprise. "I think I found Mikki."

...


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks again everyone, you're all utterly terrific! **

**Enjoy Chapter 4 :-) **

**...**

The forensic experts moved in and out of the room, collecting and documenting what little evidence they could find. For such a messy crime scene there was surprisingly little trace evidence left behind, which would make the detectives' jobs that much harder.

Castle knelt in front of the little girl, blocking her view, whilst the coroners team put her mother in a body bag and took her out of the room on a gurney.

The small child had already witnessed enough trauma to pollute her young mind forever.

Child services had been called, but they were backlogged and they weren't sure when a counselor would be available. Which meant that, for now, the girl was in the custody of the NYPD.

Castle tried to make eye contact with the girl, but she had her little head turned slightly away from him, she was still nibbling on the line of beads on the the bottom of her mother's dress. Castle supposed this was a way for the little girl to comfort herself. He could see that her pupils were dilated, the writer knew she had seen more than she would ever be able to forget.

A fact he wished desperately he could go back and change.

"Mikki?" He asked her softly. "Are you Mikki?"

She continued chewing on the dress, without reply.

Castle inhaled a deep breath before asking her quietly. "Do you know what happened to your mommy?"

The little girl stopped chewing on the dress and turned her body toward him, tucking her head into her shoulder shyly. Her eyes were full of sadness as she finally lifted them to his.

And nodded.

"Do you want to talk to me about it?" Castle asked, trying to phrase everything delicately.

At this. the little brown-eyed girl scurried to the back of the closet and hid herself behind her mother's garments.

Castle sighed and stood up, deciding to give the girl some time to think about him and make the decision herself to open up to him when she was ready.

Kate was sitting on the end of the bed, her hands wrung and her head bent.

"Hey", Castle said softly, sitting down beside her.

"Hey", she replied, her voice quiet and tepid.

He considered her for a moment, scanning her defeated frame. "You OK?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

She croaked "I'll never get people, Castle. I'll never understand how they can do these things to each other... It's all just so senseless."

He reached over and wriggled his hand in between the two of hers.

She lifted her head to look at him, she smiled warmly at him and mouthed. "I love you", as if her voice wouldn't quite work at that moment.

He smiled back and leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers, whispering to her. "That is exactly what I needed to see you say."

He felt her humored breath and he grazed her nose gently with his own. "I love you too."

They pulled away from each other and Castle ran a hand through his fiance's hair. "What a mess huh?"

"Yeah, how's the girl?"

Castle turned to look inside the closet where the young girl was hiding still. "Oh you know, she's OK, and at the same time, she never will be."

Kate nodded sadly, understanding.

Castle glanced over at the broken vase and then over at the collection of evidence that the forensic teams were packing up, spotting the glock that had been lying next to Mia Ramirez when they'd found her. "That noise that we heard before we came in... that smash? I think it was the victim shooting the vase."

"She was trying to get our attention", Kate swallowed. "She wanted someone to save her... She wanted to live."

Kate wiped her eye clear of the tear that was about to fall from it, when she lowered her hand, out of the corner of that same eye, she caught some movement from the other side of the room. "Hi sweetie", she said tentatively to the little girl who had crawled a little way out of the confines of the closet, but was still holding on to the bottom of her mother's dress.

The little girl sat on the spot, staring up at Castle and Kate.

"Would you like to come sit with us?" Kate asked her, tilting her head.

"This part's the comfiest", Castle nodded, motioning beside himself.

Slowly, the little girl picked up her mother's dress and folded it in her arms, cradling it, except for the little beaded corner, which she held between her teeth. She moved over to the wall and pressed herself against it. In a way, it was further away from Castle and Kate but it was also a step closer.

"You know what", Kate spoke slowly. "I have got some M&M's here, but there are just way too many for me to eat on my own."

The little girl's eyes brightened as she twisted the dress in her hands.

"Unfortunately, Rick here is allergic to chocolate", Kate said, patting Castle on the back.

"Allergic", Castle nodded, pointing to himself with a pout.

Kate got a look on her face as if she'd just had an idea. "But maybe... you're not allergic to chocolate are you?"

The small girl shook her head slowly, her lips slightly parted, wanting and hunger clearly evident on her face.

"Would you share them with me?" Kate asked her in a high pitched voice.

The child crossed the room, dragging the dress but allowing it to fall from her mouth.

Kate held out the small bag of candy, letting the girl put her hand inside and pull out a few.

"Purple ones are the best, huh?" Kate smiled at her as the girl pulled out a majority of indigo colored ones.

The girl chewed on the small pieces of candy happily.

"Detective Beckett, Mr. Castle, the boys told me you were still here", Captain Gates entered the small bedroom.

"Captain", Castle greeted her stiffly. "We ah, had something that required our attention here", he shot a glance over to little Mikki.

"Both of you? Oh that's right, you two don't go anywhere without each other anymore, do you?" She threw at them sarcastically.

"Aren't you supposed to be in court, Sir?" Kate threw back to her, changing the topic.

"Not enough evidence, and too much influence on the suspect's part; the case was thrown out", Gates said, looking deeply frustrated.

She bent over slightly in Mikki's direction and spoke sweeter than they'd ever heard her. "And who is this?"

The small girl rushed over to where Castle and Kate were sitting and shuffled in between them, evidently trying to hide from Gates.

Kate and Castle pursed their lips. "This is Mikki. She's Mia Ramirez's daughter", Kate explained, being careful not to use past tense in front of the girl just yet.

"I see. Well, as you've no doubt heard, child services are backlogged, they say the earliest they can get someone down will be seven pm tonight."

Castle and Kate both looked at the little girl who was crouching between them, the end of the beaded article of clothing, back in her mouth.

"And as it doesn't look as though she's going to come back to the station willingly with me, I think it best if you two take her from here."

"Look at her, she can't be any taller than 3 feet, We're going to need a car seat", Castle said to the Captain.

"If you were paying attention, as is supposedly your primary role here Mr. Castle, you would have noticed that there's one in the next room", Gates told him, making Castle blush. "As soon as the Child Services rep gets there, we'll be questioning Mikki, try to get her to open up and tell us what she saw. She looks as though she could use a solid meal and a wash, so we really should to get her to the station."

"Yes Sir", the pair replied simultaneously.

Gates turned around and as she walked out of the room, she shouted back over her shoulder in a no-nonsense tone: "And I do mean now."

The pair of them looked at each other and then down at the little girl who was now holding herself up off the ground by tugging down on the bedspread.

"Oh Mikki, careful, you'll rip that", Kate warned her. She then shook her head at herself. "Oh what's it matter anyway, it's never going to be used again", she muttered quietly to herself.

Promptly at her words, Mikki let go of the bedspread, landing on her bottom.

The little girl began to wail and Castle's paternal nature instantly kicked in as he lowered himself to the floor and gently took the small girl in his arms. "Oh, you're alright little girl. You're OK, everything's going to be OK. I'm so sorry Mikki."

Regardless of how much the little girl could comprehend, Castle needed to say these words to her anyhow.

Kate watched on, feeling pained for the young child, who had hardly had the chance to get to know her own mother. She realized in that moment that she felt more sorry for this little girl than she'd ever done for herself.

Kate slid off the bed and came to sit on the floor, creating a circle around Mikki. She soothed her back as she cried.

"Come on, let's just get her out of here", Castle told Kate as he scooped the youngster up in his arms. She was lighter than he'd expected her to be.

She continued to bawl as the three of them went into the living room.

"Um...Oh", Castle looked around for the car seat and then saw it quite boldly sitting on the counter right next to him. He pointed to it and Kate picked it up. "Right, now we just need to get her some clothes to wear", Kate said, heading for the table where a pile of girls clothes were lying in a disorderly pile.

"No time, I'll buy her some later", Castle told her promptly, carrying the little girl through the threshold of the door.

Kate glanced at the pile of dirty, stained clothes and concluded that some new clothes to wear might actually be in the little girl's best interest, it was really the least she deserved.

The detective followed her fiance out the door, closing it behind herself.

Her phone rang and she motioned for him to continue on with Mikki who was still crying rather vocally.

"Beckett", she answered the phone sounding weary.

"Hey boss, it's Ryan, how you holding up?"

"I'm OK Ryan, we're on our way back to the twelfth, we've got the girl."

"Yeah Gates called. I've been finding out everything I can about her. Births Deaths and Marriages confirms that Mia Ramirez gave birth to a baby girl named Mikayla Johanna Ramirez in July 2008."

Kate froze at hearing the girl's middle name.

It was a common name. A coincidence.

That was all it was.

"Beckett, you there?" Ryan's concerned voice came over the line and Kate realized she must have stopped talking for longer than was conversationally appropriate on a business call.

"Uh, yeah. Anything on the father?" She asked the first thing she could think of to keep the conversation going.

"Nothing yet. Birth certificate's blank in the daddy section. As an expectant father can I just say how tragic that is."

"Yeah well the father's story can't be any more tragic than the mother's", Beckett said soberly.

"Next of kin was Alonso Ramirez, and since he's not going to be able to take up the responsibility, we're working at locating some other family members that live nearby, or at least in the States."

"OK well um, keep me posted OK?" Kate requested of her fellow detective.

"Uh Beckett, aren't you coming in right now?" Ryan replied, confused.

Kate shook her head. "Yeah, right, sorry", she huffed, closing her eyes in annoyance with herself.

"Hang in there Kate, I'll see you in a bit", Ryan tried to sound comforting. Kate could hear the sympathy in his tone.

"Thanks. See you soon", she returned, before ending the call.

She inhaled and exhaled deeply before continuing down the narrow staircase of the building.

As she walked out into the sunlight, she squinted, not remembering it being this bright when she'd gone in. She approached her vehicle and saw that Castle was sitting in the back seat with Mikayla cradled on his lap.

"Hey, that was..."

"Shh", he whispered to her, shushing her effectively when she looked down and saw the almost four year old girl, asleep on his knee.

She held up the car seat, raising an eyebrow as she did.

"Just put it in the other side, I'm going to sit with her, I don't want to wake her", he told her quietly.

Despite it being against the law, Kate found herself complying with his request. The girl had been so upset just a few minutes earlier and now she looked so at peace in her fiance's arms.

The detective moved around to the other side of the car and slid the car seat in next to Castle and Mikayla. She stopped for a moment, just to look at the little girl and quite strangely, the first thought to come to her mind was that of Shakespeare.

_"Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet?"_

Now that she knew the girl's name, particularly her middle name, all she could see when she gazed upon the child's precious face was her own mother Johanna.

Beckett rolled her sleeves out of her jacket and carefully and quietly lay it over the sleeping bundle, whose chest fell rhythmically up and down as she snored softly.

Beckett's eyes locked with Castle's for a moment and she gave him a soft, reassuring smile which he returned.

It was as if Beckett had known the girl forever, because when she uttered these words to her, the new nickname fell from the woman's lips so naturally.

"Sleep tight M.J."

...


	5. Chapter 5

**O.K so you know how a story can turn into drabble a little bit. That's what is kind of happening here. It's nice, but it's also annoying because I had planned to write the next two scenes as well as this but then I realized - Hello, I have nearly 2,000 words written already! I also came to the realization that it was nearing midnight and I desperately need my beauty sleep. **

**So here is a whole lot of stuff that really got us not far at all, but I hope it's enjoying drivel all the same and I look forward to sharing all my ideas with you in the next couple of chapters :-)**

**...**

Walking inside the precinct with the little girl between them sure seemed to draw a lot of attention to Kate and Castle.

Cops all over the homicide devision stopped what they were doing to stare for a moment, eyes darting from the writer to the detective and then to the little girl, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, some snickered, but Castle and Kate were more focused on the little girl's well being than on the petty and strange looks their co-workers were giving them.

Castle placed Mikayla on her feet, next to Kate's desk, just as Gates approached them.

"I see you persuaded our little friend to join us", Gates made an attempt to smile at the little girl but her face just contorted into a kind of half-grimace. Mikayla jostled around Castle's leg and tried to hide behind it.

Gates frowned "Detectives Ryan and Esposito have gone out to "retrieve" Ellis Morton from the Bowery where it appears he spent the night last night.

"Surprised they even let a thug like him through the doors", Kate mused.

Gates shook her head. "New manager...soft touch."

Kate raised her eyebrows in response.

"Well we've got three hours until the social worker gets here, so I'll let the two of you get the girl all primp and proper", Gates tried for a smile again but gave up fairly quickly when the little girl shied away even more.

Kate knelt down and looked at looked softly toward the little girl. "Come on sweetie, we're going to go and have a little bath OK?"

Mikayla shook her head fervently.

"Come on... we've got bubbles!" Kate held her hand out, trying to persuade her. Mikayla only tucked her head into her shoulder.

Castle stepped out from the desk where Mikayla was hiding so that he could look at her. "Tell you what, you go and have a nice bubbly bath with Kate and I will bring you back something yummy from the food store."

Mikayla frowned and pointed a tiny finger at Kate's desk. Castle and Kate squinted as they tried to decipher what it was the little girl was trying to tell them.

Finally, it clicked. "Oh no hunny, you need some proper food, not more M&M's."

"Alright Mikki, how about we make a deal", Castle said to the child. "You go to the bathroom and have a nice warm bath with Kate and you wash behind your ears..." The writer shuffled up to her and knelt down to tickle her behind the ears. Surprisingly, she didn't panic or react negatively, she scrunched her nose and grinned. "And between your toes...", Castle grinned, tapping the tops of her shoes. "And in your belly button...", he spoke childishly as he ticked her on her stomach, making her giggle audibly.

Kate watched on, unable to suppress a grin or prohibit her eyes from shining.

"And you can have some M&M's... _Along With _at least six bites of something with less than ten grams of sugar in it", he added to be fair.

"Do we have a deal?" He asked her. Mikayla seemed to consider his offer very seriously for a moment before nodding her head slowly.

Castle grinned until he caught Kate looking at him hopelessly...adoringly, but hopelessly.

"What?" He asked her.

She shook her head, still grinning. "I can't believe you just bribed a three year old."

Castle looked at her indignantly. "It's called bargaining... and besides, she's almost four", he responded smartly.

Kate laughed as he waved goodbye to the little girl. "Bye Mikki, I'll be back soon OK?"

Mikayla nodded again slowly.

"Oh babe, don't forget to go to the market and buy some clothes OK? Size three."

"Yes my love, whatever you say my love... whatever would you do without me my love?" He smiled sweetly at her.

Kate hummed before leaning into him to place a quick kiss on his lips. "Exist in a constant state of hopelessness."

When they pulled away, they noticed that Mikayla had her hands firmly planted over her mouth. Her eyes were wide.

The pair of them chuckled at her expression. "It's OK, we're getting married", Castle informed her.

They both noticed her little lips curl upwards and her top row of teeth suddenly stuck out above her bottom lip.

Kate giggled. "Come on cutie, bath time."

"Alright", Castle replied, taking a couple of small steps toward the bathrooms.

"Not you!" Kate rolled her eyes, tugging him back by his sleeve.

Castle looked down to see Mikayla's little stomach bouncing up and down with silent laughter.

"Oh you meant her, OK then... You're a lucky girl Mikayla, Kate never takes a bath with me", he leaned into his fiance with a salacious look on his face and whispered into her ear, "Showers on the other hand..."

She gaped at him and smacked him on the hip. "_Food _Rick, clothes."

He saluted her and then winked at Mikayla before turning on his heel and leaving, while shouting out behind himself. "Bye Cutie!"

Kate narrowed her eyes, fairly certain he wasn't talking to Mikayla.

The little girl looked up at the detective and Kate smiled sadly down at the girl. She wondered how much she even knew about what had happened that day. What it meant and how her life had changed on this day, forever.

"Come on M.J, let's go have a bubble bath, yeah?"

The little girl stared quizzically at her for a moment. Kate bit her lip. "Sorry, I meant um, Mikki", Kate said with a smile.

Mikayla's eyes seemed to respond with a smile of their own as she held up her arms in front of herself.

Kate chuckled. "You want me to carry you?"

Mikayla's smile dropped, as if she hoped the detective was not making a joke. She looked around the precinct at all the tall people. Not just tall people;

Tall cops.

Kate swallowed as she watched the little girl's body stiffen. When the girl turned around again, Kate was on her knees in front of her. "Did your mommy come to a place like this Mikayla?" She asked delicately.

Mikayla's brow furrowed and she nodded.

Kate nodded in return. "We need your help, kay? We have a really important job we need someone to do and the only person who can do it... is you."

Mikayla blinked a couple of times.

"Do you think you can help me with this really important job Mikayla?" Kate raised her hands and gently placed them on each of the little girl's sides.

Mikayla's breath hitched for a moment at the contact before she nodded again mutely.

Kate lifted her up into her arms and walked to the bathrooms with her.

Once inside the female staff bathroom, she went to the large tub the cops sometimes used to clean their uniforms with, and filled it with warm water, adding some kids bubble mixture to it and swishing it around with her hand. Kate undressed Mikayla and made a quick note of checking for any signs that the girl had ever been abused. There were none, a fact that relieved Kate greatly.

Once the girl was sufficiently sudsy, Kate pulled her out of the tub and wrapped an NYPD towel around her, dwarfing her small frame. Kate dried her off and laughed as the girl's hair stood on end.

Mikayla giggled too. Just then there was a small knock at the door.

"You girls decent?" Castle's voice came through from the other side.

Kate mouthed "Are we decent?" To Mikayla who shook her head. Kate laughed again. "Apparently not, but you can come in anyway."

At the sight of Castle entering the room, Mikayla threw her towel off herself and spread her arms wide open, grinning from ear to ear in all her naked glory.

Castle covered his eyes with a chuckle. "Oh no, she's in the nude!" He yelped.

Kate shook her head. "Oh Mikki, we're going to have to talk about etiquette young lady."

"At least she's not riding through Central Park on a horse", Castle laughed but stopped instantly when Kate narrowed her eyes at him. "Luckily, I come bearing clothing", Castle smiled, placing the bag on the ground.

Mikayla looked at the bags with interest, Castle prompted her. "Go ahead, they're all for you."

Kate gasped at the Baby Gap black and white smocked top with a red rosette on the shoulder. "That is adorable!" She squealed.

Castle looked at her with a twisted grin. She pursed her lips, she had never meant to sound quite so gushy.

"Clucky" was what Castle called it. He watched her pull the top over Mikayla's head and laugh with her as it ruffled her hair and then help the girl into her new red and white polka dot leggings, all the while, thinking to himself what a terrific mother she would make.

"Say thank you to Rick for buying you all these beautiful clothes, Mikayla", Kate told the girl who picked up one of the other tops in the bag and threw if gleefully into the air.

Castle laughed and looked at Kate. "Nice try."

"I'll thank you myself... later", Kate winked at him.

Castle's eyes widened.

At that moment, Ryan knocked on the bathroom door. "Ah, Beckett?"

"Come in Ryan", Kate called out.

"Are you sure?" Ryan's hesitant voice came back.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Ryan, even Castle's in here."

"Well yeah but...Castle has no sense of decorum."

Castle reached over and grabbed the door handle, pulling the door open forcefully. "Did you not just hear the part where she told you I was right here?". he asked Ryan with narrowed eyes.

"Ah, um", Ryan spluttered.

Kate rolled her eyes again. "Ryan did you want me for something?"

"Yes", Ryan sighed with relief. "Elmo's here."

"Oh right, um...", Kate looked down at Mikayla. "Castle, could you just..."

"Yeah, no, of course, go. We'll be fine."

Kate gazed hesitantly down at Mikayla who was now standing beside Castle, trying to put two coats on at once.

"Kate... Little girl", he pointed to Mikayla then to himself in turn. "Father who raised little girl."

Kate smiled at him. "Right. See you soon M. - Mikki."

Kate felt a little bit light headed. She tried to get a grip of herself as she vaguely heard Ryan telling her about his and Esposito's apprehension of the suspect.

It had been half a day. And the girl was getting to her.

...


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi folkies, I was involved in my first ever flash mob yesterday, we did "Born this way" by Lady Gaga as she is currently in the city we performed in and it was EPIC! I sang while around a hundred young people with disabilities danced and it was amazing, the crowd went WILD at the end :D There were 13 cameras there to record it so there will be an awesome video of it up on the web very soon, to which I will post a link!  
**

**Whoot - OK, so this chapter became one of those ones where I take forever to get everything out that I want to! Hence, it is a little longer than previous chapters - remember the ones I used to write for The Past Starts Tomorrow? Not quite as crazy as some of those yet, but approaching borderline insanity.**

...

"You've been made aware of your rights Mr. Morton?" The detective stepped into the room, her eyes fixed on Ellis Morton's file.

"You mean this time or the last hundred times I was accused of doing something I didn't do?" The young african-american man asked her with distain clear in his voice.

Kate raised an eyebrow, her face still buried in the suspect's file. "Yes I see you've visited us a few times over the last couple of years. Got off last time because they only had you on suspicion of dealing, but this time-"

She threw a sealed bag of cocaine on the table in front of herself and watched as he licked his lips.

"We have proof...Your fingerprints, on this bag", Kate looked steadfastly into his eyes.

"And I'll tell you Mr. Morton that is a very bad thing for you because you see this particular bag of coke was found at a crime scene today."

"Crime scene?" Elmo scowled.

"A murder. The murder of a young man, Alonso Ramirez. You know him?"

Elmo shook his head. "Never heard of no brother with that name", he sniffed, sitting back in his chair.

"You sure?" Kate pulled out a photograph of Alonso Ramirez and placed it on the table in front of the young man. "Take a real hard look."

Elmo rolled his eyes but complied by looking down at the photograph. After three seconds he shook his head. "I've seen this guy around but I ain't never spoke to him."

Kate narrowed her eyes and pulled out another photograph from the case file. "What about her?" This photo was of Mia Ramirez.

"Never seen her before."

Kate sighed. "Do you own a gun, Mr. Morton?"

Elmo's eyes darkened. "Yeah, I keep it in my mansion", he said sarcastically.

Kate's teeth clenched. "Two people have been murdered Mr. Morton. Now, a little girl is left without her mother and uncle. This is not a joke and I am running on a very short fuse so do not test me", she leveled with him dangerously.

Elmo seemed unfazed as he leaned closer to her. "Everything I own, I am wearing right now."

"Where were you this morning at around 5:30am?" Kate asked him, leaning back in her chair.

"I was exactly where those two circus clowns picked me up. The bowery homeless shelter... sleeping."

Kate stood up abruptly, filled with frustration. "You'll be booked on dealing and distribution charges and while you're spending the night with us, I'll be finding sufficient evidence to pin you down for this murder."

"Whoa now hold on!" Elmo said, rising up out of his chair. "I just told you, I wasn't even there and I have never met those people in my life!"

"Well then do you want to explain to me how your fingerprints were on a bag that was found in our vic's possession?" Kate yelled at him.

"I don't- I don't know", Elmo. "Look, yes alright, I admit I chop up, I distribute, I even use myself on the rare occasion when I need a hit. But I do not kill people!"

Kate shook her head at him.

"Maybe someone else bought them for this guy?" Elmo suggested.

Kate considered his premise. "Who have you sold to around that area in the last little while?"

Elmo looked pained. "I don't know, lots of people, some regulars...but there was a new guy that I would never have expected to even be in that part of town. Clean cut white guy, blonde hair. Like, he looked calm but at the same time, you could tell he was shaking. It was like he_ really_ didn't belong there."

"When?" Kate asked him.

"Just last night", Elmo nodded.

Kate closed her eyes. "Alright Ellis, I still have to book you, but your help with this investigation will be duly noted."

She saw regret flash through the young drug dealer's eyes. "I hope the girl's OK", he grunted.

She wanted to confirm that "the girl" was OK , but she knew Mikayla wasn't, and never would be OK. Instead she walked out of the room without another word.

"How'd it go? He give anything up?" Esposito joined her at her side instantly.

"Not much, but he gave me a description of a white male with blonde hair who bought from him recently. Said he was acting really nervous."

"He have a name?" Esposito questioned her.

"No", Kate sighed.

Esposito gave her a soft look. "Alright boss, Ryan and I will go back down to the alley and see what we can find in the way of security cameras. We'll question everyone in the area again and Kate?... We will nail this guy."

Kate gave him a soft smile and nodded.

Esposito gave her a small smile in return and left the room to find his partner.

Kate closed her eyes briefly, willing away the headache that was starting to form. She was a cop who believed in justice, she was trained to seek it, but this case was giving her extra reason to catch whoever did this terrible thing to the beautiful little girl in the next room.

Kate inhaled, purposefully dressing her face with the brightest smile she could manage.

She found Mikayla and Castle sitting together on the floor of the female bathroom still. Castle was making Mikayla laugh by trying to fit one of her little pink gloves he had just bought her, onto his own large hand. He stuck his index finer and thumb into it and began moving it like a sea creature, saying something inaudible to Kate, but obviously very silly and creative because Mikayla seemed entranced by it.

"What are you two still doing in here?" Kate asked them in a childlike voice. She stood behind Castle.

"We're putting on a puppet show - creatures of the deep dark hollow of the tickle lagoon!" Castle said dramatically as he reached over and tickled Mikayla's stomach with the glove puppet. Mikayla squealed with laughter, making Castle and Kate laugh along with her.

"OK little lady, have you eaten what Rick brought you?"

"Yup, she ate a whole banana and some lasagna, which we discovered is her favorite! Right kiddo?"

Mikayla nodded.

"Ooh, I love lasagna too! Must've been yummy!" Beckett grinned at her and she nodded again.

"Detective Beckett?" They could hear the Captain's voice from a distance away.

"Ah, we're in here sir", Kate replied.

"Detective Beck- Mr. Castle, what are you doing in here, this is a female bathroom!" Gates looked infuriated.

Castle grimaced and stood up while Mikayla ran to the other side of the room and hid.

"I'm sorry sir, I was just looking after Mikayla."

"And a bathroom seemed the most appropriate place to be?" Gates asked him in disbelief.

"Ah, no, no sir", Castle looked down at his feet.

"May I suggest you re-locate yourself and the little one to the break room? The social worker will be here any minute... In the meantime, I need to speak to you Detective."

Kate stomped her foot. She had just become re-acquanted with the girl... It was important for her to build a rapport with her witness...that's what she'd been doing.

Building a rapport with a witness. At least that's what she was telling herself.

"Yes sir", Kate said between clenched teeth.

She walked out of the bathroom again, sharing a look of frustration with her fiance.

They went to Kate's desk and Kate sat down in her chair, feeling weary and ready to go home. Gates sat in the chair that Richard Castle had claimed five years ago.

"We found Mikayla's father", Gates said suddenly, making no attempt at a build-up to what Kate considered to be earth-shattering news.

"Oh", Kate blinked, for the mean time it was all she could manage to say.

"He's working as a fisherman in the Gulf of Mexico. Appears he took off a year ago when he and Mia Ramirez had an dispute over her brother. Sounds like Alonso Ramirez's drug problems were causing quite a rift in the family. Vincent Marcos says his girlfriend was constantly bailing her brother out of jail."

"You've spoken to Mikayla's dad?" Kate asked quickly.

Gates nodded. "Yes, he seemed... devastated. Became very expressive about his feelings toward Alonso."

"Did he say anything about his daughter? Did he even acknowledge her?" Kate became heated.

Gates raised an eyebrow at her which made the detective simmer a little bit.

"He's a very busy man and his work is crucial. He says he loves Mikayla and he wants her to be safe and happy, but he's not sure he can get back into the country now."

"He loves her? So why did he leave her in that situation?" Kate asked her, biting hard on her own lip so as not to sound so mad.

Gates pursed her lips. "Because he loved his girlfriend too. And he knew that her brother was hurting her and the only thing that brought a smile to her face after every occasion her brother did something reckless, was her daughter."

Kate sighed and rubbed her eyes. "So, do the NYPD not have the influence to get him into the country?"

"Of course, but we can't get him a permanent residency. He wants his daughter to live in this country, he wants her to have the best life possible, but you know how it is, he can't just apply for a green card and have it fed-ex'd to him the next morning", Gates said.

Kate shook her head. "So what's going to happen to Mikayla?"

Gates seemed to almost be giving Kate a sympathetic look. "She'll go with the social worker tonight and unless Ryan and Esposito manage to track down any family members, tomorrow she'll be placed in a foster home. Mr. Marcos thought his girlfriend may have had a relation living in Connecticut but wasn't certain, we're looking into that now."

Kate swallowed and closed her eyes. Why was she feeling so emotional over all this?

"Beckett, you solve these murders and you will have done everything you can for that little girl." Gates stood up and placed a hand on the young detective's shoulder. "You can't let it be personal."

Gates left her side and Kate felt frustration build up inside of her.

She knew the rules, the guidelines of the job, and she'd mostly done well to follow them throughout her career.

But that little girl had looked up into her eyes and held her arms out expectantly to her.

That little girl had smiled her angelic little smile that showed all her crooked little baby teeth.

That little girl had laughed with Kate when she had been drying her unruly hair.

So whether Kate had let it become this way, or not. That little girl _was_ personal.

...

"Mikki hunny, can you tell me what you saw when you were in the closet in your mommy's bedroom today?"

The social worker had finally arrived and Kate and the government employed woman sat in the interrogation room, away from the table which Kate insisted would be far too intrusive and scary for little Mikayla to sit on the other side of.

Instead, the two women sat on either side of the girl as she drew a picture with some crayons the social worker had brought with her.

The social worker glanced at Kate, pursing her lips in annoyance at receiving no reply, once again.

"Did somebody come into the room?" Kate asked her softly.

"Don't you think we should get a detective in here that she's not so familiar with?" The social worker asked, her voice dripping with impatience.

Kate narrowed her eyes at the rudeness of the woman. "How on earth would that be of benefit? I've spent all afternoon making sure that Mikki knows she can trust me."

"Well for one thing, have you considered that she might be finding it confusing, even uncomfortable for you to be calling her a nickname that her deceased mother used?"

Mikayla suddenly looked up from her drawing and into Kate's eyes. The little girl's lip trembled and all of a sudden, she let the crayon and the paper fall to the floor and she brought her knees up to herself and covered both her ears firmly with her hands.

Kate shot the social worker a look of contempt. "We hadn't fully explained to Mikki yet the fact that her mother is... d-e-a-d."

"Do we even know if the child understands what we're saying?" The woman asked coldly.

Kate wondered how this woman ever qualified to be a social worker.

She knelt down in front of Mikayla and placed a hand on her knee. Mikayla jumped a little bit at Kate's touch.

"Mikayla", Kate reached up to run a soft hand through the girl's hair, requesting her attention. "Can you just listen to me for a second, please?"

Mikayla looked into Kate's trust-filled eyes and lowered her hands from her ears slowly.

"I know how you feel Mikki. When I was a little girl, I used to be really quiet, I only used to really talk to my parents... and my dolls", Kate smiled. "Most of the people in the world are just dumb, huh?" She gave a pointed look toward the social worker who frowned indignantly. "Sometimes I wonder why I even try and talk to people, most of the time, no one really understands what it is I'm trying to say to them."

Mikayla swallowed, taking every word in.

"You don't have to speak. I know you loved your mommy and she loved you and I bet no matter if you speak or not, she would be proud of you either way... You can talk to your mommy sweetie, you can still talk to her, but you know that she won't be able to talk back anymore, right?"

Mikayla looked despondent.

"And Uncle Al too, you can talk to him as well."

Mikayla blinked a few times.

"And you know when you're ready to talk me, I'll try really hard to understand whatever it is you have to tell me."

Mikayla stared into the detective's eyes. Kate got the sense that the little girl was trying so hard to tell her something already, but Kate wasn't sensitive enough to it or tuned in well enough.

"For the ones in this room who are a little dumb, do you think you could maybe just give me a little nod so that I know you understand?" Kate smiled up at her.

For a moment longer, Mikayla simply stared at Kate, and then, finally, she nodded.

"Thank you", Kate said softly. "OK sweetie, so Jane and I are going to go out into the hall to talk for a little while. Do you want to keep drawing your beautiful picture until we're finished?" Kate asked her as she leaned forward to retrieve the paper and crayon that were on the floor beneath her.

Kate looked at the picture at instantly froze. Mikayla had drawn a portrayal of a woman lying horizontally in the middle of the piece of paper and a little girl in the top corner of the page. Standing over the woman was a man, who looked to be holding a small object resembling a spoon. On the man, Mikayla had drawn a shaky line leading to what looked like an upside-down triangle.

It was her interpretation of a badge and Kate's heart hammered in her chest when she saw four very distinct letters on it - N,Y,P and D.

Kate's head whipped up to find Mikayla staring at her pleadingly.

Kate put one hand to her mouth as the other one rested on the young girl's knee. "Oh Mikki, I'm so sorry", she whimpered as tears gathered in her eyes.

Kate pulled herself together and stood up. "Stay here", she instructed the social worker and rushed out of the interrogation room before the woman could protest.

Kate flew through the door of the observation room and found her fiance looking at her with a million questions in his eyes. Questions she would have to answer later. "Go and sit with her, please. She knows you, she needs someone with her that she trusts."

Castle stepped toward her. "Kate, wha-"

"Rick, please... Please", Kate begged him. As soon as he stepped out of the room with her and turned to open the door of interrogation, Kate took off down the hall of the precinct, running down the stairs to save time waiting for the elevator. She strolled hastily through the third floor, unpinning a photograph from the wall before heading back to the stairwell. She climbed down again until she was down in the basement of the jail. Without pausing for one second, she walked up to the cell where Ellis Morton was sitting with his head lying back against the brick wall.

She thrust the photograph up against the bars of the cell. "This man, do you recognize him?" She asked without hesitation.

Ellis Morton's eyes widened a fraction as he crossed the small space of the cell and looked closer at the photograph. "That's him." He said with amazement. "That's the guy I sold to last night."

The conflicting emotions of relief and disbelief crashed over Kate in a torrent.

Elmo had just identified Officer John Wilkes.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello friends, here's chapter 7 ~ Enjoy! **

**...**

"What happened Wilkes?... Last night. Tell me."

Kate sat across from Officer Wilkes, leveling him with her stoic demeanor.

"I think I'll wait until my lawyer gets here", the young cop told her calmly.

Kate's lips twisted and she crooked her head to the side. "That's fine, we'll put you down in holding in the meantime, I think you may even know a few people down there, and I am sure they are going to be very happy to see you again. "

She watched as the cop hesitated and then huffed out a sigh. "Alright, wait, just...hold on a second."

Kate raised her eyebrow expectantly.

"We live by the badge right? Protect and serve, that's what we do."

Kate narrowed her eyes at him as he sprayed the walls of the interrogation room with his crap.

"I was protecting the people of my neighborhood. Of my city... That lowlife bum was burning up their hard earned taxes, in and out of jail every second day and the rest of the time, he was getting high with his idiot vagrant friends."

Kate leaned over the trouble, using her hands to prop her up. She looked square in the officer's eyes. "What did you do Wilkes?"

Wilkes swallowed. "I found the dealer on my street, I knew he was there and I struck and deal with him... he'd give me some bags and I'd keep his location covert, as in just the two of us."

"Why the hell would an New York Police Officer be buying drugs?" Kate pushed.

He stopped and ran a hand over his eyes. "I was buying them for... a friend, someone I refuse to name!"

Kate shook her head. "Then what happened?"

"I went through the alley where Al Ramirez always was, as it's the quickest way back to my street. Kid's always pressuring that poor restaurant owner to give him the scraps of the meals...anyway, he was there, just as I knew he would be, and he was...just sitting there, with his head down and his hands together." He stopped. "It was like he was praying."

Wilkes shook his head. "People who use drugs to enhance their life are no longer natural. They're no longer the way God made them. They have no business praying to a God they obviously don't respect."

Kate pursed her lips. "Skip to the part where Alonso Ramirez was shot, Wilkes."

Wilkes' eyes darted around the room, as though he was looking for assistance.

That would never come.

"I..." He faltered. "The kid came up to me, started harassing me as usual and he...he stole my drugs. Lifted them, right out of my pocket! I tried to get them back and he pulled a knife on me. Kid was acting crazy, waving it around, saying if I didn't turn around and leave, he'd kill me... I had a gun, and so I did the best thing I could think of to do... I shot him."

Kate's brow furrowed. "You're trained to shoot him in the leg, or shoulder, but you shot him directly in the heart, Wilkes."

"Yeah, I shoot him in the shoulder and then what happens? He goes to hospital and uses up even more of our taxes?"

"When did you kill Mia Ramirez?"

"The woman that was with him? She left, I didn't see her after."

"Wrong!" Kate yelled with a small smirk. She rounded the table and did an expert job of invading Wilkes' personal space. "Let me tell you what really happened, Wilkes."

Wilkes' demeanor changed instantly, as his fear and guilt kicked in.

"You were frustrated of Alonso bumming around your neighborhood. You saw him as a parasite, something that needed to be exterminated", Kate spat the words, sickened by the truth. "So you bought the drugs with the intention of placing them around Alonso's dead body after you killed him in cold blood... You couldn't stand the fact that there was someone who could treat bums like him with kindness, so you made sure to be there to be the strong, reliable cop when Miss Locke was in distress, and you also made sure to persuade her and everyone else that his death was some tragic, pointless dispute over drugs... You wore gloves when you bought the drugs and when you shot him, which is why we only found prints on the bags, from Elmo and Mia Ramirez."

"They worked as a tag team, tossing them back and forth between themselves, so that I couldn't shoot anyone."

"But you shot him anyway, because it wasn't about the drugs, it was about redemption."

She stood up and inhaled deeply. "So I'm going to say that Mia Ramirez turned up after you shot her brother and took the drugs from you, she fought with you and you took this alleged "knife" that you say Alonso threatened you with, and you followed her home, where you stabbed her!"

Kate leaned down so far that their noses almost touched. "Where her three year old daughter was watching as you stabbed her mother and left her to die!"

The officer's lip shook and he spoke softly. "I didn't know there was a kid there."

"Mikayla. The niece of that _bum _you shot down like a dog and the daughter of the woman you left to die, choking in a pool of her own blood. That _kid _now has to live her life with the knowledge that two people she loved were murdered to serve your your own twisted personal vendetta... That's what you call justice?"

Kate stepped back and blinked her tears of anger away. "You're a disgrace to the badge."

"Pre-meditated murder, another murder charge in the second degree, drug purchase, breaking and entering... and that's just the beginning of the charges that will be placed against you."

"You have no viable proof, I'll be back on the beat tomorrow morning, with a full apology from the NYPD", Wilkes said smartly.

"We have your prints on a bag of coke and a positive I.D from a witness."

The cop scoffed. "A drugged up dealer with a rap sheet longer than my arm?"

Kate shook her head with a small smirk. "Not Elmo. We have a witness who, admittedly does not have the capacity at present to provide us with a statement. But one day...one day she will talk and she will be the one that makes sure you go away for a long, long time...which is only right, considering you took away the single most important person in her life."

The cop's eyes darkened and he shifted in his seat.

Kate's hand lingered at the door handle. She turned her head to look at the dirty cop once more. "Oh and Wilkes? I suggest you take a nice deep breath when they transport you from the cell to the prison van...it's going to be a long time before you taste the air of freedom again."

Without looking back at her suspect, Kate flitted out the door.

She leaned back against it and closed her eyes tight.

No matter how much satisfaction she got out of nailing a perp, this case had proven bittersweet in its conclusion. Determining that one of your own was responsible for a murder always made Kate automatically devalue their work just a little bit.

"Sweetheart?" Kate heard the welcome voice of her fiance behind her. She spun around and saw him standing there with Mikayla and Jane the social worker.

He approached her warily. "Did Wilkes crack?"

Kate sighed. "Not exactly...But thanks to Mikayla, we've got grounds to take him to court", she peered around Castle's legs, where the little girl was hiding and gave her an honest and radiant smile.

"Yes well I think this little girl has had a very big day and she could use a good night's sleep", Jane said rather sharply.

Kate and Castle looked down at the girl with matching expressions of fondness.

Kate cleared her throat. "Mikki, you have been so good and you helped us a lot today. You've been so brave and it was so nice to meet you. Do you think you could come here and give me a hug?" Kate asked the little girl in a small voice.

As soon as the words were out of Kate's mouth, the girl was at her knees, clutching on to them with all of her might. As if she'd been craving the physical contact all day.

Possibly all her life.

Kate caught Castle's eyes as she lowered herself to crouch low in front of Mikayla, even sitting on her heels, Kate was still taller. She wrapped her arms around the small girl and squeezed her gently.

"Thank you Mikki, thank you."

Kate released the tiny child and smiled a watery smile at her. "You're a hero Mikayla Johanna Ramirez." She bit back a sob and straightened the collar on Mikayla's new coat. "YOU take care of yourself, OK?"

Mikayla frowned and then did something the female detective was not expecting, she reached forward and wiped away the tear that was balancing precariously on Kate's eyelash.

Kate choked a sob back and gave Mikayla one last shaky smile before standing up quickly and running out of the hall.

Kate collapsed against the break room door, sobs wracking her body as she slid slowly down the frame of wood.

The day felt like it had lasted a decade.

First, Kate had felt heartbroken over the loss of a stranger. But then again, every stabbing reminded her of her mother's case and although she had made a conscious choice to move away from that, she would never forget and she would never forgive. Kate's heart had felt pain for both Mikayla and for herself.

Then, when Kate and Castle had found little Mikki hiding in the cupboard, both their hearts had broken all over again. A child so young, at that age, parents are their whole world. If the family is loving and caring, then the parents provide every ounce of love and trust a child can know.

Mia and Alonso Ramirez may not have seen eye-to-eye constantly, but they were probably the closest thing to parents Mikayla had ever known, and she had lost them both in one day.

Then, seeing her fiance interacting with the sweet child, had stirred all sorts of new emotions and desires inside of Kate. They'd never spoken seriously about having children together, but he had said jokingly that he wasn't altogether apposed to the idea of having more, as Alexis had been an excellent prototype.

And now, the realization that this little girl that they'd become so connected to in so many ways, for so many reasons was now going? Kate could no longer hold back the emotion.

She cried freely until her chest hurt and then she slowed her breathing down and squeezed the last drops that would surface, just as the love of her life knocked on the break room door.

He came up behind her and wrapped his strong, protective arms around her. "Hey, shh", he soothed her, stroking her arms with his broad hands. He placed a soft kiss to the side of her temple and she inhaled shakily. "I certainly made a good impression with the social worker", she laughed bitterly.

"Well, you certainly made an impression", Castle said against her hair.

This made Kate smirk and she huffed. "Shut up", she chastised him, hitting him on the chest.

He chuckled and kissed her again.

"If it makes you smile? Never."

...

When they returned to the loft that night, Alexis was no where to be seen.

"Alexis, hunny we're home", Castle called up to her room, where he presumed she was.

After about thirty seconds, the teen bounded downstairs, looking lively and bright.

"Hey Dad, hey Mom-ooh" Before Alexis could be pre-warned, Kate had wrapped the girl in her arms and held her so tightly, the redhead turned slightly blue.

"Ah, Kate?" Alexis choked out.

Kate relinquished her grasp on her step-daughter and grabbed her face instead, placing a hard kiss on her forehead.

Alexis stumbled back, looking a little delirious. "You OK?" She asked.

"Yeah, we're fine sweetie, just been a big day", Castle answered for Kate who seemed to be in a kind of a daze.

"I love you Alexis, do I tell you that enough?" She squeaked out.

Alexis looked at her with an amused expression. "You tell me every day, and honestly Kate, once would have been enough, because even without you telling me, I know you love me."

"I do love you, I love this family, I love this place, I love our life", Kate prattled on, until Castle took her by the shoulders and led her to the couch.

"Come on my love, how about a nice cup of camomile? Relaxing, calming, bliss in a cup", he said cheerfully.

She hummed in response and Alexis stood awkwardly by the railing of the staircase.

Kate lifted her sleepy head from her head pillow and eyed the girl up suspiciously. "Lex, do you have somewhere to be?"

"Well Max and I were kind of just, um..."

"Wait, your new boyfriend is here?" Castle stomped out of the kitchen and over to Alexis.

"No! No, he's in Boston visiting his grandparents. We were skyping. I put him on hold."

"Oh so he _is_ your boyfriend is he?" Castle raised an eyebrow at his daughter.

"Yes, yes he is. He's a great guy and he respects me and takes care of me in every way I need him to", Alexis told her father straight.

"I don't even want to think about what that means", Castle squeezed his eyes shut.

"Well good because you'll just end up torturing yourself over it. I am definitely not telling you anything else", Alexis told him, turning red.

"Well I think I'd appreciate that", Castle nodded painfully.

"Good. Goodnight you two", Alexis said with finality.

Castle ran a hand over his face and groaned as he flopped down onto the couch.

"Hey, where's my tea?" Kate moaned beside him.

"Even the sweet aroma and pleasant warmth of camomile cannot preclude the dread I am feeling over my daughter's inferences right now", Castle sighed as he lay his head back next to Kate's.

Kate brought her hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear. "Well, you know babe, the point is that she's nineteen years old now, so she actually has a right to her inferences. She makes her own decisions and her own mistakes."

"But I don't want her to make mistakes!" Castle groaned.

Kate shook her head at him. "Can you predict the future?"

"I don't know, I saw the split of Russell Brand and Katy Perry coming from a mile away", Castle mused.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Unless you can predict every second of every day then you'll never be able to prevent anyone from making mistakes."

"I know", he huffed, leaning in closer. "I just miss my little girl. I miss the little creak of her footsteps as she'd walk down the hall to tell me about whatever comic book villain had just infiltrated her dreams... no comic books after 6pm, learned that lesson fairly early on", Castle said seriously.

Beckett smiled, she loved hearing him talk about raising Alexis.

He grinned. "And when she was a baby, she used to make these cute little bunny rabbit faces where she'd raise her top lip, she didn't have teeth yet but she still looked like a sweet little bunny to me." He sighed happily. "She was such a good baby."

Kate hummed. "Speaking of babies...Ryan and Jenny, pretty awesome news right?"

"Oh, yeah, absolutely awesome... they are going to be great parents", Castle said, sounding overjoyed.

"Mhm, yeah I'm so happy for them", Kate replied in an equally optimistic tone.

"Yeah", Castle smiled, wrapping an arm around his lovely fiance and holding her close to him.

After about ten seconds, Kate moved to her head to look at Castle. "Only, I'm insanely jealous."

"You are?" Castle's eyes widened.

"Yes, I want a baby Rick", Kate blurted out quickly.

"So do I!" Castle exclaimed, sounding relieved.

Kate's jaw dropped. "Y-you do?"

"Yes! Why have you never talked to me about this?" Castle asked her, his eyes still wide.

"Why have_ you _never talked to _me_ about this?" Kate fired back.

Castle stopped gaping and closed his mouth, giving Kate a sideways glance. "I think we should make a baby."

Kate looked at him adoringly. "Me too", her whole face was enigmatic.

Castle's bright and wide eyes suddenly turned dark. "And I think we should start now."

Kate swallowed as she took in the hungry look on his face. It was a look she knew well.

"Right now?" Her eyebrow quirked.

"Right. Now." Castle confirmed with vehemence as he launched an attack on his future wife's neck and suckled it, licking and nibbling on the one particular spot he knew was a full-proof way of making her ready for him instantly.

She moaned, making her throat vibrate against his soft lips, which he then let glide over her jaw and then consume her mouth.

Kate snaked out her tongue, she loved the feeling of their two wet organs swirling around each other.

Castle groaned appreciatively at the warm confines of her mouth.

Every time they were together it was magic, it was furious and relaxing all at once.

Kate pulled away from him and swore.

"What, what's wrong?"

"I've already taken the pill today", she said, looking frustrated.

Castle's frowned. "Oh... well then, this will be a good dress rehearsal."

A grin crept onto Kate's face. "Why don't we go to the bedroom so we can make it an _undress_ rehearsal?"


	8. Chapter 8

**OK, so this one is a little shorter than the last two - warning: sexual themes/explicit content in this chapter. **

**I didn't anticipate writing any smut in this story honestly, but then last night, I just started writing it! **

**Hope you enjoy the somewhat filler of a chapter :-)**

**...**

Katherine Beckett was held up to the wall of their bedroom as she slowly undid Richard Castle's belt buckle.

The things he was doing to the skin below her ear were making her concentration difficult, but for the pleasure he was eliciting in her, she wanted to give the same to him, he was the love of her life and she loved the thought that neither of them were ever going to do this to anyone else.

He was hers, always.

Her fingers glided over the bulge in his pants, making him buck in her direction. "Oh Kate", he groaned, licking the line of her throat and bringing his mouth north to suck on her chin.

"I love you", he whispered into her ear. She grinned as she successfully undid his belt and pulled it through the loop. "I love you too", she told him, looking straight into his eyes with seductive eyes.

"Take your clothes off", he told her lightly, and with wordless response, she removed her clothes until she was naked in front of him.

His eyes roamed her body appreciatively. He shook his head. "You are incredible."

She smiled a shy smile, which then turned sly. "Your turn Mr. Castle."

Castle's eyes sparkled and he kept them glued to her as he undressed, watching her expression closely. She still gasped a little when he revealed himself fully to her. He was impressive and that was something that would never change.

She sucked in deep breaths as he came toward her with narrowed eyes. He took her roughly by the triceps and pushed her against the wall again. Their naked bodies slapped together as he launched himself on her again.

His mouth explored her chest area, tongue gliding over her clavicle and circling the taught mounds that were her breasts. He took a nipple into his mouth and felt as her chest heaved with a sharp intake of breath.

Her hands came to his hair, fingers running through it without care or guidance, as he sucked on her nipples that were hard for him. For only him.

Sloppily, her hands came down to his ears, stroking them, soothing them, for as sensitive as they were when she pulled on them and caused him pain, they were also heightened to receive pleasure as well.

He sighed as he released her nipple with a pop and then lifted his head to kiss her deeply. Tongues dueled delightfully, lips sucking and teeth nipping. The best part about their passion is that is was always filled with love. It was sex, it was amazing sex, but it was complimented by their undying love for one another.

He grunted into her as his body reacted further and lifted her up into his arms. She wrapped her long legs around his torso and he carried her swiftly to their bed.

Lying her down, and falling with her, he crushed her for a moment and she let out a small huff of laughter. He quickly remedied their predicament and lifted himself up, so that he was straddling her.

Kate's laughter turned into a gasp as he brought his index finger down to where she would be accepting him very soon. She was wet against his finger, and he slid it up and down, ensuring that she was completely ready.

He looked at her as she threw her head back in bliss, biting her lip in that way that drove him crazy. He ran a hand over her breast. "Kate..."

Her lips parted but she kept her eyes closed. "Yes, Rick, now."

They cried out together as he entered her slowly. It had taken a few times of them being together for Kate to be able to relax completely around him, but once she did, it felt so good.

They were perfect together.

He moved within her, gaining momentum and she opened her eyes to look into his, she knew it gave him encouragement and made the final moment that much better.

Licking his finger, he brought it down to her clit again and began to circle it slowly. Kate reached forward and took his hand, guiding him to where she wanted him.

As he hit the spot, she cried out with pleasure, the sound of which, made him pump harder, faster.

They were both so close and he could tell. He leaned forward to place and kiss to her lips, stopping their movements.

He always did this. It was his way of letting her know just how much he loved her.

He pulled back and pumped into her thrice more until she gurgled out as her walls collapsed around him and he groaned loud and long as he came inside of her.

Their breaths came quick and he leaned down over her, releasing the tension of his thigh muscles that had started to tighten. He stroked her hair and they lay together, feeling sore but sated and happy.

He looked down at her with stars in his eyes and he ran a hand over her cheek. "You're so beautiful." She twisted her head to look into his eyes and giggled. "You're not so bad yourself."

He smiled at her, and brought his lips to kiss her softly. "I can't wait to call you mine."

She gave him a soft smile, stroking his cheek gently with her palm. "I _am_ yours."

"Mrs. Katherine Castle." Castle beamed.

Kate closed her eyes. "Mm, I sound like a queen."

Castle laughed as he lay down, cuddling in close to her. "You are a queen. You're the queen of the Castle."

"Dirty rascal", she jibed as she butted into him from in front.

His breath hitched. "Well when you do that kind of thing, can you really blame me?"

Kate laughed and shuffled down in the bed, like a little girl, ready to hear a bedtime story "Alright Rick, lay one on me."

Castle licked his lips.

"The human dress is forged iron,

The human form a fiery forge,  
The human face a furnace sealed,  
The human heart its hungry gorge."

"Mm, William Blake? Sexy."

"Seriously though, the guy was tormented, he can't write a love poem without it turning tragic."

"Well, he appreciated that love takes work. Sometimes it takes struggles, even tragedy to push two people together."

Castle smiled, holding her closer to him. "But they got there in the end."

Kate closed her eyes again, relaxing into the warmth of him. "Yeah, we did."

...

Rick bounded down the stairs in the morning, bright and happy and ready for whatever the day might bring, whether that be, relaxing at home with his future wife, or relaxing at home with a good book (if his future wife had to paperwork to do), or, another gruesome murder.

He knew the day would not be as adventurous or exciting as the one previous, but for the sake of whomever was involved; he was glad. No one deserved what Mikayla Johanna Ramirez had to go through, he hoped in vain that no one ever would.

"Good morning", he said cheerfully to his daughter as he kissed her on the cheek. Alexis was propped up at the breakfast bar, drinking a glass of fresh orange juice and reading what looked like some kind of manuscript.

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Seriously?"

Castle rounded the bar and then stopped instantly when he registered the look on her face. "What?"

"You and Kate are so obviously...you know, and that's perfectly acceptable. Whereas, if I even talk about the subject, you'd think I was planning an assassination."

Castle raised his eyebrow. "I fear that's exactly what your boyfriend has in mind."

Alexis gave him a look that quickly softened. "Dad, I know you love me and what you're trying to do here, however misguidedly, is protect me. But I'm nineteen. I need to be out exploring the world, I need to be making new life experiences and meeting new people, falling in love maybe... I don't know what's going to happen between Max and I but I do know that I'd like to at least find out."

Castle smiled sadly at his daughter.

Alexis continued. "You do trust me don't you?"

Castle nodded. "Of course I do, it's just-"

"-I know, I know, it's him you're not so sure about."

Castle tilted his head.

Alexis smirked at him lightly. "Would it help if I brought him to meet you?"

Castle inhaled and pursed his lips. "If Max would like to meet me, then it would be my pleasure, but until that time... I don't want to be the damper in your relationship."

Alexis raised her brow. "You're testing me aren't you?"

Castle gave her a look of innocence. "No, not at all." He walked around the bar to hug her and kissed her hair. "I'm testing him."

Alexis pulled back from her father and gaped at him. "You're so lucky you pay my allowance."

Castle gasped. "What was that...am I going to need the tongs to tong you?"

"I said I love you Daddy", Alexis laughed.

Castle shook his head as his daughter gathered up her book and walked away.

Kate walked down the stairs at that moment, dressed in her satin nightie that Castle had brought her for her birthday. "Hey babe", she approached her fiance and gave him a light kiss.

"Hey", he replied, sounding melancholy.

"What's wrong?" She asked him, rubbing his shoulder.

He sighed deeply. "My daughter is in love with someone and it's not me."

Kate chuckled as she grabbed her fiance and bear-hugged him. "Aw, don't worry hunny, you'll always be _my_ one and done, and you'll always be Alexis's one, just... not her done."

Castle gave her a sideways look. "Since when did you know the right thing to say?" He smirked at her.

"I must have learned from you", Kate replied as she wrapped her arms around Castle's neck and brought his lips down to hers.

Castle hummed as he kissed his detective lovingly. "Kate...have you taken it?"

Kate laughed. "No, but It might take a while for the drug to leave my system."

"So?" Castle winked at her and she laughed again., nudging him, she muttered,"Dirty Rascal."

But she bit her lip and led him to the bedroom anyway.

...

An hour later, after another passionate love-making rumpus in their bedroom, Kate and Castle emerged and showered.

Castle walked into the living room just as Kate's phone began to trill. "Castle."

"Mr. Castle, this is Captain Gates."

"Good morning sir, and what a lovely morning it is", Castle replied with a wide grin.

Gates grunted in reply. "I just wanted to call Detective Beckett and yourself to let you both know that Mikayla Ramirez was picked up by a second cousin who lives in Pittsburgh, earlier today. So she won't have to go to a foster home after all."

Castle was overjoyed, but a little confused at the same time. "Well, what about the trial? I thought she'd have to stay in the State until the trial was over."

"She will still have to testify but her cousin has agreed to meet the terms of travel and get her here on time, when she needs to be."

"Well, that's terrific news", Castle smiled into the telephone. He could practically hear Gates stiffen on the other end. "Why did you think it prudent to call and tell us this? I mean, I appreciate it and all but couldn't it have waited until we came in to the precinct?"

"I noticed you and detective Beckett were both rather fond of Mikayla, and I thought you would just like to know that she'd gone with a relative instead of having to go and live with strangers."

Castle raised an eyebrow. Was this really their Captain... being considerate?

"Well thank you sir, I will be sure to let Kate know as soon as she gets out of the bathroom."

"Good. I suppose I'll see you both later."

"Yes, yes you will sir. Enjoy the beautiful morning."

Gates hung up without another word.

Kate walked into the room at that time. "Was that Gates?" She asked.

"Uh, well it was someone claiming to be Gates, and she certainly sounded like our captain, but I don't know, her attitude was a little..."

Kate frowned. "A little, what?"

"Kind", Castle drawled out, like it was a word belonging to another language.

Kate laughed. "Better call the doctor."

Castle nodded, pretending to make a note of it.

"So what did she say that was so unusually nice?"

"She wanted to let us know that Mikki is going to live with her cousin in Pittsburgh."

Kate swallowed. "Oh well, that's really... that's great."

"Kate..." Castle walked close to her as he could see that she was getting emotional already.

"I'm fine", she told him, turning away so that he couldn't see her wiping her eyes.

"It's OK to miss her, you know", he told her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

She shook her head. "I knew her for less than a day, how can someone have that much of an impact on a person in such a short amount of time?"

"Oh Kate, just think of the first day we met, how struck you were by me, how impressed and turned on I made you", Castle whispered into the ear of his betrothed.

"You really should have just left after that first case we worked together, you kissed me and it sent tingles up my spine. I had this whole pre-concived notion of you back then. My life could have been lived with this wonderful sense of intrigue and fantasy, because I would always know that soft feeling of your lips and the gentle magic of your words and nothing else... How romantic would that have been, huh?"

Castle looked at her strangely until she began to laugh aloud.

"Not cool", he shook his head at her, frowning.

Kate winked at her fiance, giving him a wide smirk. "I'm not trying to be cool... Only hot."


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you all so much for the reviews, they're super and they're making my day! :D**

**Please note: I know nothing about the law ... OK, obviously, that came out wrong - what I mean is, I know nothing about criminal proceedings, I've spent the last two hours doing as much research as I could on the subject however, so I plan to sit the bar tomorrow morning.**

**:D Enjoy!**

...

Three weeks later, Kate and Castle were pre-occupied mainly with wedding details, but for as tedious as all the gown fittings and menu tastings (well, actually Castle didn't mind that part so much), the looming trial was weighing heavier on their mind more than their impending nuptials were.

Martha had flown to Atlanta where she was attending a conference on different roles that women played in the theatre and Alexis had been out of the house more often than in, thanks to her ever-blossoming relationship with Max, so now that the detectives had begun preparing themselves for the preliminary hearing for the murders of Alonso and Mia Ramirez, the loft was a very empty place.

The three detectives, the writer and the captain were pouring over all the notes they hand on the case, every statement they could gather was now sitting in front of them on the table, but there was only one witness who would ever get them to trial.

And they still didn't know if she could even speak.

"With just this amount of evidence to present to the judge, the case will be dismissed within minutes", Gates grumbled.

Ryan eyed his team mates. "Well then we know what we have to do", he bit his thumbnail nervously, scared of the reprimanding he knew would follow.

"No!", Kate shook her head. "It's enough of an ask to have her testify in the trial, I will take every other option to not have to subject Mikki to testifying at the prelim."

"We're already out of options Beckett", Gates said, sounding regretful.

Kate's jaw stiffened. "Wilkes already copped to killing Alonso and buying the drugs. Intentional or not, we will have to go to trial regardless."

Gates shook her head. "Not if Wilkes has a good attorney, and he will have."

"What about the knife, it had no prints on it, and Wilkes claimed that Alonso had been waving it around, threatening him, but there was nothing to suggest that Alonso ever even held the knife", Kate continued reasoning with her Captain.

"Which is precisely what the defense attorney will throw right back at us. Without any proof whatsoever it's all reasonable doubt", Gates concluded.

"Mikayla's going to be required to testify no matter what, wouldn't it be better for her to practice it first without so many people around her?" Castle offered to his fiance softly.

She shot him a look and then stamped her foot on the ground. "And what if she can't bring herself to do it? What if she has to spend the rest of her life knowing that she wasn't able to bring her mother's killer to justice?"

The rest of the people in the room stilled at Kate's rhetorical question.

Kate pushed her chair back from the table with a huff and exited the room.

"Detectives, get in touch with Mikayla's legal guardian and contact child services", Gates told Ryan and Esposito.

"Yes Sir", they both replied grimly, leaving the room as well.

Castle stood too, before turning around to face Gates hesitantly. "Captain..."

"Mr. Castle, if you are going to make a complaint on your future wife's behalf, you can write it in a letter and send it to the commissioner", Gates told him shortly.

"Ah, no, no I'm not advocating for Kate, aside from the fact that she'd hate me for doing that, I know she's aware of what needs to be done, and reluctant as she may be to allow it to happen, she'll come around eventually, for the sake of the case."

Castle cleared his throat. "No, rather I wanted to just explain to you why Kate's a little on edge at the moment."

Gates looked up at him but made no move to ask him to elaborate.

He did anyway.

"Again. Kate would hate me for telling you this but... we've been trying to conceive for almost a month now and it's proving unsuccessful thus far."

Gates narrowed her eyes. "I see, and when was I going to be privy to the fact that I may be losing one of my best detectives to maternity leave?"

Castle swallowed. "Yeah that's mainly the reason she'd hate me for saying anything to you."

Gates leaned back in her chair, removing her reading glasses and running a worn hand over her eyes."Look, Mr. Castle, I know why she's so upset about this trial, what she said before brought it all to the fore. She doesn't want this little girl to go through with her mother's case what Beckett has had to endure with her own. I empathize, I really do."

Castle sighed.

Gates pursed her lips. "The only thing I can suggest is that until the two of you manage to make a child of your own, you focus all your energy on helping this one as best you can."

"That's all she's trying to do Sir."

Gates nodded. "And when she becomes a parent, she'll realize that sometimes trying isn't always enough."

Castle pursed his lips. "No, sometimes it isn't."

Gates clicked her pen against the desk. "Well, If there's nothing else, I have a phone call to make to the D.A to inform him that we will have a material witness at the preliminary hearing."

"Yes Sir."

Castle headed for the door, until Gates' voice made him stop.

"Mr. Castle... she might want to drink a little less coffee as caffeine can decrease fertility."

Castle snapped around to look at her, but she already had the telephone to her ear and was waiting patiently for it to be answered.

He smirked a little to himself as he walked out of the room.

He found his beloved in the break room, pouring herself a cup of the aforementioned prohibited beverage.

"Ah, don't drink that!" Castle yelled at her, as she lifted the cup to her lips.

She'd already put some in her mouth, but hadn't swallowed it, now it was scolding the inside of her mouth.

"Wurr?" She asked him with concern on her face.

"Caffeine decreases the chance of getting pregnant", he told her in a hurried whisper.

Kate promptly spat the coffee back into the cup. "Great Castle, I could've used that little tidbit of information about a hundred coffees ago!"

Castle raised an eyebrow at his fiance. "If I had suggested you stop drinking coffee when I first started bringing them to you because it would some day decrease the chance of our having children together, I think you would have been a little less than grateful."

"I probably would have thrown my cup of coffee in your face and then demanded you buy me another one... that was five years ago Rick, but you could have told me this last month when we first started trying", Kate scowled.

"I only just... acquired the information", Castle said distantly.

Kate's scowl deepened. "Who did you tell?"

Castle grimaced, ready for a verbal lashing. "I just mentioned to Gates that there was a reason why you were so antsy at the moment."

Kate looked horrified. "You told Gates that we're trying to have a baby?"

"Yes, and as it turns out, she's obviously far more supportive of it than any of us would have thought."

"Yeah, maybe supportive enough that she won't call me up on my code of conducts, that doesn't mean she won't be looking at me sideways from now until I get pregnant."

"I'm sure she won't, she seemed quite disinterested really, she's your boss, she doesn't have control over what you do in your personal life."

"Yeah, but pregnancy will interfere with my professional life too Rick. I'm going to be off the job for at least six months."

"Oh God, they're going to make us do paperwork, aren't they?" Castle face dropped.

Kate laughed with very little humor in her voice. "Oh yes, this pregnancy is going to be so very arduous for YOU... if it ever happens that is."

Castle tilted his head to the side, taking Kate's hands in his own. "It WILL happen and when it does you are going to be a wonderful mother. I watch you with Alexis sometimes and I wonder how we ever survived before you came along."

Kate smiled at him shakily. "Yeah, I look at you guys and wonder the same."

"Do you believe in magic yet?" Castle asked her with a small smile.

Kate chuckled. "No. But I believe in us."

"Can't spell justice without "us"", Castle grinned at his own cheesy words and Kate laughed, "You're such a clown... I love you."

"And I love you, and hey... speaking of justice, I think I have a plan for how we just might get that little girl to testify."

"Oh yeah?" Kate asked him, perking up.

"Yeah, you remember the other night when we did it like five times, and I exhausted you so much you fell asleep in the bathroom?"

"Fondly", Kate winked at him.

"Well after I put you bed, I was still kind of wired so I went to watch some TV and found myself strangely fixated to Nick Jr."

Kate laughed. "Aw, that's so sweet... thinking ahead?"

"Yeah well I thought I'd better get myself re-acquainted with all the characters names as I am sure in two years or so, our child will be expecting me to know every single one by name, species and voice", Castle smiled widely. "So I was watching this one show about a group of kids who fly around in a rocket ship or something..."

"Little Einsteins? I love that show!" Kate exclaimed and then proceeded to look very embarrassed. "I mean I've heard it's... very educational."

Castle held back a smart comment. "Anyway, they were doing something where they were trying to communicate to the rocket ship..."

"Rocket."

"Right, Rocket... So _Rocket_ had something important to do but he couldn't remember what it was, and, obviously being a piece of mechanical engineering there was a slight language barrier there. So what they did was, they told all these great historical stories; the inspiration and composition of Beethoven's fifth, the PG version, obviously, the construction of the pyramids by the Egyptians, the legend of King Arthur, all the while relating to something in Rocket's immediate past to remind him of what had happened and trigger something in his memory. Now, as someone with a history of PTSD, I'm sure you'd have given some thought to the fact that Mikki's little mind might be forcing certain things in and out, you know... putting it in the too hard basket, so to speak, just as you yourself did with... certain things."

Kate swallowed, she knew what he was referring too.

"Obviously Rocket didn't have something traumatic happen to him, he was just a slightly forgetful little space vessel, but it still got me thinking... What if we somehow turn the courtroom into a kids TV show, alluding to things that happened that day and turn Mikayla into a sort of third party audience member, leaving her to decide to participate."

"What kind of things would be alluded to?" Kate asked, looking slightly dubious.

"Like the fact that she saw someone there and he was wearing gloves and a NYPD badge, that would be a good start."

Kate looked uneasy. "We start asking questions like that, the first thing the defense attorney will do is point out Ryan and suggest that he could be the killer."

"Yeah, OK well we'll make sure it's all worded and constructed very carefully, together you and I can write a little script and make sure the lawyer knows how to deliver it with the just the right amount of persistence and patience."

"What if the judge calls our conduct into question, or the defense lawyer accuses us of putting words in Mikayla's mouth."

"Hey, if in normal criminal proceedings, you can accuses a suspect outright, using his name... then why can't we just make you know... suggestions to a little girl who might be too scared to say: yeah, it was that guy sitting about twelve feet away from me."

"Make suggestions? Sounds like a game of Cluedo", Kate chuckled.

"Exactly, and that's what it needs to be, a game. We need to do just enough to secure the truth but not too much that we scare her off. I want this to be a time in Mikayla's life that she can look back on with the knowledge that she did everything she could, without feeling unfairly cajoled into doing it."

"You care about her", Kate stated.

"Yes, I do", Castle nodded.

"I do too", Kate bit her lip for a moment, mulling over Castle's idea in her mind. "You know what, I think this is one of your crazy ideas that might just work."

"Yeah?" Castle looked delighted with himself.

"Yeah", Kate smiled lovingly at the way he still got so excited by her approval.

Esposito entered the break room at that time. "Yo! So Mikayla and her cousin are driving out tomorrow morning, they'll be here with enough time to brief the both of them on the proceedings for Friday's court date."

"Thanks Espo", Kate smiled at her co-worker as he smiled and retreated from the room again.

"Can we go? I want to get to Walmart before it closes, wanna get Mikki something, you know just as a welcome back present."

"Oh hunny, you're so cute sometimes", Kate placed a hand on his cheek, pinching it lightly. "What were you thinking like a little soft toy?"

"Oh you know what, we should find a little soft toy Rocket!" Castle practically bounced on the balls of his feet.

Kate laughed, "Maybe we should get her a cluedo set, would that be a little bit obvious?"

"Probably... Ooh, you know what game we should buy for ourselves?"

Kate's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"Twister", Castle beamed.

"Strip?" Kate grinned back at him.

"Katherine Beckett, I like the way you think."

Kate laughed as she folded her arm around her partner's and they headed for the elevator.

Once there, Castle leaned over to her and whispered into her ear. "So I guess now that we know about the coffee thing we're going to be trying even more?"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Kate nudged him in the ribs.

"Of course, you know what they say, if at first you don't succeed, try and try again", Castle poked his tongue out between his lips.

Kate laughed again, turning her body so that it was flush against his. "You know what Rick? Tonight, I don't even want to try. Tonight, I just want you."

...

**Was that last line plagiarized? Pffft, how dare you insinuate that I would stoop so low!**

**Yeah, you know it was.  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for all your advice with the last chapter my lovelies! Hope y'all enjoy reading this one. **

**WARNING: Contains tragic and sad content that may be upsetting for some.  
**

**...**

As soon as Castle and Beckett entered the precinct the next morning, they knew something was off.

As they stepped out of the elevator and onto the floor of the homicide unit, they could hear a screaming match going on, and the loudest voice seemed to be that of Detective Esposito.

"You stay AWAY!" They could hear him yelling.

The pair looked at each other, concerned and then ran around the corner to ascertain what exactly was wrong.

Esposito was being held back by Ryan as he scowled at a man in his forties with a stained t-shirt and beanie, who was also being held back by a uniformed cop.

"Espo, what the hell's goin' on?" Kate questioned him.

"This bastard was hurting her, he had her in a god-damned chokehold!" He yelled between gritted teeth.

"Who?" Kate asked him, confused. "Who did he have in a chokehold?"

Esposito's nostrils flared as he turned his head to Kate. "Mikayla."

Kate and Castle both felt instant and simultaneous surges of rage for the stranger standing in front of them.

"You're her fucking cousin man, you're her family, you've got no idea what that little girl's been through and now you're just gonna..."

"Espo!" Kate interrupted his passionate ravings. "Where is she?"

She heard a small whimper behind her.

It was Castle.

Mikayla had wrapped herself around his waist as he bent down to pick her up.

"Kate." He said softly, tears forming in his blue eyes.

Mikayla looked even thinner that the last time they'd seen her. Her hair was terribly matted and her eyes were blood shot.

She had fresh bruises on her wrists and on her throat.

Kate felt sick as she took in the form of the damaged little person in front of her. She felt the worst kind of guilt. Technically, of course, it wasn't her fault. She hadn't been the one who had vetted Mikayla's cousin and deemed him suitable to take care of her, but she had let Mikayla walk out of their lives, uncertain of where she was going to next.

She had let her down. Something she would never do again.

"What have you done?" She asked the unkempt man with so much malice in her voice, it made everyone in the direct vicinity, shiver.

"I tried so hard to take care of her, but she just wouldn't talk. I asked her, what do you want to do today, what do you want to eat? And she just wouldn't answer me... She never says anything, it plays with your head, it gets on your nerves!"

Kate stepped right up to the man so that there noses were almost touching. "Let me ask you a question." She hissed with contempt dripping from her words. "Did beating her get her to talk to you, you slime-bag piece of gutless shit?"

The man audibly swallowed as she held her determined gaze on him.

"Kate..." She heard the plea of her fiance.

She turned to see him holding Mikayla in his arms. The girl had her face buried in his neck and was covering both her ears with her hands.

Kate closed her eyes for a moment before turning to glare at the man before her one more time. "Get him out of here", she told the cop who was holding him.

The young cop complied as Mikayla's cousin shouted. "I took care of that little girl... even her father didn't do that! She'd be dead without me... When they said they needed a family member, I volunteered out of the goodness of my heart, but I didn't know I was getting a kid that was broken!"

Castle noticed Kate's jaw lock at his words and he could see by her body language that she wanted to run back and kick the living daylights out of the man.

"Kate... Please", he whispered to her, leaning his head against Mikayla's.

Kate breathed in and out, focusing all her attention on Mikayla. Her anger dissipated somewhat, but only to be replaced by a deep swell of sadness for the little girl.

She stepped forward, encouraging Castle to lead the three of them to a quiet room. He lead them to interrogation 1 and sat down in a chair as Kate switched on the light and pulled a chair up next to him and Mikayla.

Tears streamed down Kate's face. "Mikayla", she choked out, wanting to lean forward and stroke the girl's hair, touch her face, if only a simple touch could erase all the memories, all the pain.

"Mikki?" She tried again. This time Mikayla buried coughed and trembled, burying her head further into Castle's neck.

Kate and Castle looked at each other. Kate bit her lip as softly, she whispered. "M.J."

Mikayla sucked in a breath and then sat up slowly so that she was finally facing Kate.

Kate sighed with relief. The girl didn't hate her, she just wanted her life to change. She wanted to forget her past and all of the names that came with it. "M.J" was new, and it was Kate's.

"I'm so sorry", Kate said as she held out her hand to Mikayla. Kate ran her other hand over her face, covering her eyes to stop the flow of tears.

She was startled when she felt a small set of five fingers curl around her palm.

Kate lowered her hand to see Mikayla leaning forward on Castle's knee. Her cheeks were tear-stained and her eyes were all cried out. Those same eyes seemed to look into Kate's soul. it was in that moment Kate realized how important communicating with her eyes was going to be with this little girl.

"M.J, I promise that nothing is going to happen like that again... You did nothing wrong, it was his fault, OK? You are _not_ broken, you are beautiful, you are special and smart and sweet."

Kate tried to smile at the girl. "And I will not let anyone ever hurt you again...I promise."

Mikayla blinked and shifted her body forward so that Kate could take her in her arms.

Kate stroked the little girl's back. Pretending, just quietly that with every stroke, she was erasing a bad memory.

Little did she know; she was.

...

"She will not be appearing in court, she can't!" Kate raved as she stood in Gates' office.

"Detective, I understand your frustration and your concern, but if we don't proceed with this, the case will be overturned instantly and Wilkes will walk."

"M.J has been the victim of abuse for possibly the last three weeks, she is not psychologically able to testify at the present time."

"Well detective, you have three hours to get her ready, because, as I said, if she is _not_ ready, the case will be thrown out, and we will have lost all hope. All hope for bringing her mother's killer to just-"

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S AT STAKE HERE?" Kate screamed, startling her Captain.

Kate breathed rapidly, her pulse rising by the second. She bit her lip hard, trying to still her emotions.

"Beckett, I know what this means to you, and believe me, I have considered removing you from the case..._ for your own sake_", she added defensively as Kate looked ready to protest.

"But then I saw how much trust Mikayla Ramirez placed in both you and Mr. Castle, and I knew that you were going to be the only ones who would ever get her through the trial."

Kate stared at her Captain. Had she really just said something remotely... complimentary?

"It was the right decision, Sir."

"I don't make wrong decisions, detective", Gates said sitting down at her desk.

Kate's lips twisted, withholding a retort.

"And I appreciate your faith in me. I won't let you down Sir. M.J will be ready for court today."

"Good." Gates replied. Kate took that as her cue to leave.

"Oh and Beckett?"

Kate stopped at the door and spun on her heel.

"Make sure you use the girl's _correct_ name on the stand."

Once again, Kate kept her mouth closed and turned around again to go and find her husband and the little girl she had to prepare for the biggest moment of her young life.

She had two hours and forty eight... nope... forty seven minutes.

...

She found Mikayla and Castle in the break room. Castle was reading Mikayla the story book he'd bought her the night before and she was clutching on to her little "Rocket" toy and sucking her thumb, listening intently.

"The little puppy wanted to help, but he couldn't swim either, he was scared of the water, and didn't like getting his paws wet."

Kate became transfixed by the lull of his voice. One of her favorite activities on a rare day off was to be put to sleep by the sound of her fiancé's smooth, melodic voice, reading her one of his best-sellers.

Or even one of his flops.

"He watched as his brother struggled against the tide, the waves were too strong though and they floated little Cosmo down the river... Curly saw a farmer nearby, working on his field and he barked for help. The farmer noticed little Curly's panic and he came over to see what was wrong with the little puppy. Curly curled his way around the farmer's feet and then ran, hoping the farmer would follow him... and he did!"

Kate smiled as she watched Mikayla's face light up at Castle's excited voice.

"Finally Curly and the farmer caught up to Cosmo who had floated a long way down the river. The little puppy had managed to swim nearer to the river bank and when the farmer saw him there, he knelt down and reached out as far as he could... and do you want to know what happened next?"

Mikayla's eyes widened and her little mouth parted in anticipation. "The farmer fell into the river too!"

Mikayla frowned. Not the outcome she was expecting, evidently.

Kate chuckled a little, she knew the happy ending was coming.

"But the farmer could swim well and he grabbed little Cosmo and carried him to the river bank, lifting him up wet and shaken, but still wagging his little tail."

Mikayla slowly smiled, and one of the fractures to Kate's heart healed a little bit.

"The two brothers gave each other puppy kisses and barked happily. They licked the farmer's hand to thank him and then walked off happily back home, both deciding that the next time they decided to go for a swim, it would be in a bathtub... The end."

Mikayla raised her arms up, as if to cheer, although not making any sound.

Castle laughed. "You liked that, huh?"

"I liked the bit where the farmer falls in", Kate smiled lightly as she walked further into the room.

The two of them looked at her. "Why did you like that part in particular?" Castle asked her with a nod of his head.

"Because even though the farmer must have been very scared, he was strong and he was brave and he got the puppy back to safety... He saved the puppy."

"Yes he was very brave", Castle said as he looked for Mikayla's reaction.

"You know who else is brave?" Kate asked, sitting down in front of Mikayla again.

Mikayla pointed a finger toward Kate.

Kate's eyebrows knitted together as she smiled a watery smile. She hadn't been expecting that and it had thrown her for a minute. "Yeah, I'm pretty brave, but not as brave as you M.J."

Castle tilted his head to see the little girl was deep in thought. "And even though we know you're scared, just like farmer. You're going to have to be really brave today, because guess what?"

Mikayla lifted her head to look at him. "You're going to save this case for us. Just like the farmer saved Curly."

Mikayla bowed her head.

"Can you do that for us M.J? Can you save Curly for us?"

The pair of them waited anxiously until Mikayla's little dark haired head bobbed up and down slowly.

Castle and Kate looked at each other, sighing with relief. Castle placed his hand on Mikayla's shoulder, silently thanking her. Kate's came to rest on top of his and he laced his fingers with hers as they both held their M.J.

...

Kate and Castle sat with Mikayla in the scratchy 1970's that were designed surely to make the witnesses and criminologists as uncomfortable as possible.

Wilkes entered the room when called, dressed in a well tailored grey suit that really didn't suit his blonde hair.

Kate glanced at Mikayla to gage her reaction. The little girl was stoic, sitting quite still, clearly uncomfortable.

Wilkes sat down and uttered the compulsory "I do", with his right hand on the bible as the prosecutor began questioning him.

Mikayla seemed to cower with every word the prosecutor would shout at Wilkes, the increase in volume clearly scaring her.

"Rick, this is too much for her...", Kate whispered to her partner, looking down at the little child sitting between the two of them.

"If we don't say strong, she can't either", Castle reminded her lowly.

Kate frowned but nodded to him.

"...Mikayla Johanna Ramirez to the stand."

Kate and Castle inhaled deep breaths together.

Kate placed a soft hand on Mikayla's shoulder. "OK sweetie, now it's your turn to go up OK? You have to go with this nice lady and she will take you up there just like we talked about."

Mikayla slowly approached the stand, her little legs shaking slightly as she walked. The lawyer helped her up to the landing and put a pillow on the seat to raise her up.

"Hello Mikayla, my name is Lucy and I need to ask you a few questions, is that OK?"

Mikayla's eyes darted around the room.

Castle and Kate nodded encouragingly at her and finally, she nodded.

"OK, now first I'd like you to tell me about this", Lucy held up Mikayla's drawing of the man seemingly with the NYPD.

"Is this a picture of a policeman?" Mikayla looked around the room again before nodding slowly.

"Is that police officer in this room right now Mikayla?"

Mikayla froze and Kate and Rick both froze with her. Kate couldn't handle seeing her little... _the_ little girl so stressed. "Be brave Mikayla, just like Curly!" She called out from the seats.

"Objection your honor, no calling out from the pews!" The defense lawyer said, looking annoyed.

"Thank you Mr. Conners, I do know the law", the judge leveled him with a look. "Any witnesses who are not on the stand will remain silent", he said firmly, looking at Kate.

Castle squeezed his fiancé's hand and she shook her head, feeling helpless. "Miss Matlin, is your client able to answer the question or isn't she?"

"Mikayla?" Lucy pushed softly, but pleadingly. Mikayla looked frantically around the room, her eyes set on Wilkes and she began to bawl loudly, squirming in her seat.

Kate and Castle buried their heads in their hands.

The prosecution's case had lost all hope... until:

"Stop it! Just leave Mikki alone, OK? She hasn't done anything wrong."

"Mr. Wilkes, you have no right to-"

"No. just listen... It was me, alright? I did it... I killed Al and Mia."

Wilkes confessed.

**... **

**Huh... does that mean what I think it... nah, surely not... right?**

**Your thoughts?**


	11. Chapter 11

**My fingers were swift and my creativity was flowing today, so hooray for quick updates! :D **

**Hope you enjoy!**

**...**

"Officer Wilkes and Mia Ramirez were dating. Because both Mia and Alonso had history of drug abuse, Officer Wilkes was afraid that if it got out, he'd be under scrutiny so he never told anyone. Alonso wasn't so happy about the two of them being together and after all the help he'd been given by the two of them, he started threatening to use again, saying he'd never deserved their help, that he was never strong enough to give it up."

"So one day, Wilkes decides to just get him what he wants and he brings the drugs to Alonso. Mia is there at the time and she grabs them off Wilkes before he can give them to Alonso."

"That's why Alonso's prints weren't on the bag."

"So Mia gets really pissed at Wilkes but at this stage Alonso is already fired up about the drugs, he's seen them and he wants them, so he threatens his sister's life with the knife he's holding if she doesn't let him have them and Wilkes does the only thing he can think of to save his girlfriend... he shoots Alonso, dead."

"So then Mia is devastated and she heads for home, quickly, but Wilkes follows her and ends up stabbing her...accidently."

"Accidently?" Gates raised an eyebrow.

"Mikayla and Wilkes both concur that it was an accident."

The captain still looked dubious. "Go on."

"Apparently, Wilkes was trying to calm her down, and she walked into him as he pulled out the knife to illustrate the actions of her brother when she wasn't watching."

"Wlkes says, and again, Mikayla is of the same opinion that Mia asked him to kill her."

Kate inhaled shakily. "Wilkes said he thought she'd died when he left, but she must have just passed out with the pain."

"We're still going to have to go to trial with this", Gates reminded them.

Kate shook her head. "No, in the end Wilkes says he meant to kill them both, and that's what he did. He'll be charged with murder one on two counts, the judge will review what we've presented and with any luck... No trial."

"How's Mikayla coping with all this?" Gates asked the detective and writer.

"She's... confused. She wasn't scared of Wilkes because she trusted him. He'd been like a step-father to her."

Gates shook her head. "You should consider yourself very honored Mr. Castle. If I was in that little girl's shoes, I'm not sure I could ever trust another man again."

Castle smiled wearily.

"Um, Sir, what exactly is going to happen to Mikayla now?" Kate asked, running a hand over her forehead.

Gates sighed deeply. "She'll go to a foster home, a properly vetted foster home."

Kate nodded her head. "Right."

The room fell silent for a moment until Kate sucked in a breath and spoke in a rush. "Captain, I'd like to use up some of my leave."

Gates tilted her head. "You would?"

"You would?" Castle echoed her.

"Yeah, um Rick, can I talk to you for a second?" Kate wrung her hands together, looking at him shyly.

"Of course", Rick followed his fiance out of the room, looking intrigued but confused.

The couple went into the hallway where Kate stood nervously against the wall.

"Kate hunny, what's going on? Is this about the wedding, do you want the extra time to arrange everything? Because, you know we _can_ afford a wedding planner."

"No, no it's not about the wedding, that's not why I want the time off. It's... it's M.J."

"What about her?"

Kate closed her eyes. "For the last three weeks she's constantly been on my mind. I haven't been able to stop thinking about her, always wondering what she's doing, if she's OK, if she's happy... and now I find out that all that time she wasn't happy, she wasn't doing OK. She needed someone to help her, to get her out of that awful situation, and nobody came." Kate slouched against the wall.

"Oh Kate, look, that is not your fault, there was nothing you could do", Castle tried to comfort her.

"But I can do something now", Kate looked up into her fiancé's eyes and nodded.

"Kate, are you suggesting we-?"

"When I was in college", Kate cut in. "My girlfriend got drunk one night and ended up getting pregnant to a guy in our dorm. She was so scared of the birth and her parents disowned her. I was there when she went into labour. I'd just joined the academy and she asked me to do something for her. She wanted me to register as a foster parent in case anything happened to her and she couldn't look after her son Swanson. So, I attended the ten week course and became a certified foster parent...Swanson had Aspergers so I even went through the process of training to care for intellectually and emotionally damaged children." Kate stopped for a moment and let go of the breath she'd been holding. "So when I think about M.J I just think... isn't this what I'm perfect for? I'm ready for this."

She looked up into Castle's eyes. "Not only am I ready for this, I want this Rick... I want M.J", she said to him with more than a modicum of pleading in her voice.

Castle was dumbstruck, he leaned against the opposite wall, steeling himself. "Kate are you sure? You're not just, you know, being hormonal and a little bit..." He grimaced, "Clucky?"

Kate shook her head. "You know that I don't believe in fate, but something is telling me that we met this little girl for a reason... maybe this is why I can't conceive, maybe I'm not meant to have my own children, maybe I'm just meant to have Mikayla."

Castle looked at her adoringly, he loved it when she was this passionate. He took a step toward her, his eyes shinning brightly. "I want M.J too", he grinned, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Yeah?" Kate beamed up at him.

"Yeah", he nodded in reply, sparkling with delight.

Kate giggled lightly as her one eyebrow lifted. She lifted a hand to his cheek. "Are we really going to do this?" She asked him, still grinning.

Castle puckered his lips in the way that made him look like a little boy. "I think we really are."

Kate bit her lip and took her future husband's hand. "Well come on then my love, we have a little girl to raise and at this age every second counts."

...

"Let me get this straight", Stacey, the incompetent social worker was staring the pair of them down. "You want to become foster parents to Mikayla Ramirez?"

"Yes", Kate said as Castle slid his hand into hers.

"Is that even allowed? You've been involved with her mother's murder, being around you may trigger a lot of emotional stuff that may become distressing for Mikayla."

"And because of that, wouldn't Kate be the perfect option for a foster parent for her? She knows her, she relates to her, she can help her find her way through all this, I know she can" Castle added.

Kate looked at her husband, once again enamored by him. She glanced between him and the social worker.

"Your admiration for your fiance may be founded Mr. Castle, but you will still have to be vetted and checked out thoroughly by our people. Even though you are an NYPD detective, you will need to undergo a drug test and provide us with a medical certificate."

Kate nodded. "I can do that."

"And until Mr. Castle can secure his own license, you will need to be with the girl at all times Detective Beckett."

"I'm taking the next eleven weeks off so that Rick can get his license and we can both be with M.J... We want to make this work. We want to be a family to her", Kate said.

Stacey tilted her head. "Alright, well we can get the process started tomorrow, I understand the hurry you're in, considering it is a specific child you wish you foster. You will need to attend a meeting with our board to assess your suitability to be foster parents and we'll take it from there."

"Thank you very much", Kate and Castle stood and shook the woman's hand in turn.

"Tonight though, Mikayla will need to be placed in a temporary foster situation."

Kate opened her mouth tentatively. "Actually, M.J will still need to be processed herself, after all she has been the victim of abuse, we're not sure for how long but her cousin and former guardian is in holding right now. The CSI's are going to need to take photographs of her and assess the trauma she's sustained, see if it's worth a conviction."

"Of course it is", Castle chastised.

Kate gave him a look that shushed him.

"M.J will be in the custody of the NYPD until at least the time her cousin is arraigned", the detective told the social worker.

"Do you think you'll be able to find someone to volunteer for the task of watching her for the night?" the social worker asked Kate with a glint in her eye.

Kate's lips twitched upward a little as she turned toward her partner. Castle grinned at her. "I'll call Alexis and let her know we'll be pulling an all-nighter."

...

"Look at that would ya?" Ryan nudged his partner as they filed the last of their paperwork for the evening.

Castle and Kate were sitting with Mikayla at Kate's desk. Castle had just brought Kate a cup of coffee and had also brought a sippy cup of warm milk for Mikayla.

Ryan and Esposito could hear Kate telling her "Careful sweetie, don't burn yourself."

"Never thought I'd see the day when Kate Beckett would be sitting with a latina baby on her knee... although there was that one dream", Esposito smirked as Ryan gave him a sideways look.

"Well I'd certainly never have guessed when that loud mouthed, cocky Richard Castle walked into this place for the first time that the two of them would be sitting there looking so googly-eyed at each other, but here we are", Ryan smiled.

"Yeah, I just hope those two appreciate what they're getting into", Esposito said with a warning tone.

"What do you mean? They've been together for like... well actually it's only been like three months...do you think they're rushing things?"

Esposito shook his head. "Not the two of them bro, the little girl. They seemed to have forgotten quite easy the fact that her biological dad is still out there. I just hope that if they're thinking long term, they don't set their expectations too high."

"Nah, Beckett's way too pessimistic and cautious for that, she knows how these things go, nothing's ever permanent", Ryan said as he squinted in the direction of the writer, and the detective who were smiling at the little girl as they wiped her shirt which she had somehow managed to spill her milk on.

"I dunno man, seems like they've fallen pretty hard pretty fast", Esposito muttered as Kate caught his attention. "You guys heading out?" She called out to them.

"Yeah, you three going to be alright?" Esposito asked them, extending his hand to Mikayla to mime a tickling motion. The girl's nose scrunched and she wiggled around on Kate's lap.

Kate chuckled. "We'll be fine Uncle Espo", she replied while making a silly face at Mikayla.

Esposito raised an eyebrow, mouthing to Castle "Uncle Espo?"

Castle shrugged with a grin and mouthed "New mom", before turning his head to blow a raspberry in Mikayla's direction.

Esposito and Ryan turned to one another with mirrored wide-eyed expressions.

"Rrright well uh, you keep these two out of trouble, OK cutie?" Esposito smiled in Mikayla's direction.

"I'll try my best, dumpling", Castle winked in Esposito's direction. The Latino detective shook his head and turned toward his partner, walking with him to the elevator.

"Pessimistic and cautious huh? Yeah, maybe before she was set to become Mrs. Castle."

...

"OK sweetie pie, I'm just going to take your t-shirt off now OK, just so I can have a quick look at your neck."

Mikayla cowered, terrified, shutting her eyes tight against the harshness of the LED black light.

"It's alright M.J, Mr. Guppy is just going to have a look OK? He's not going to hurt you, I promise". The girl calmed a fraction at the sound of Kate's familiar voice.

Castle was watching from the viewing room, flinching every time Mikayla did, wanting nothing more than to go downstairs to the holding cells and kick the ever-loving shit out of the little girl's rat-bastard cousin.

When the examination was finished, the CSI shook his head in the direction of Kate and said simply. "Guy deserves to be fried like a chicken dinner."

Kate offered him a half smile that was only partly disapproving as he walked past her and out of the door as Castle stepped in past him.

"Hey sweetie, how you doin'?" He asked Mikayla as he knelt down to her. "You're such a brave girl M.J. Such a brave girl."

He stood and turned to his fiance. "How do you think she is?"

Kate sighed as she let his warm arms encase her. "Hard to say." She bunched his shirt in her fists. "God, I want to kill him Rick, I honestly want him dead."

"I understand that, hunny. I really do. You care about her, it's completely normal."

"No, no, I... I _love_ her" Kate whispered frantically. "I know it's insane, totally certifiably insane, I have spent no more than two days with the girl, but I just...love her."

Castle took her face in his hands. "It's not insane, and you've spent more time with her than just two days... she's been with you for the last three weeks... And hey, I fell in love with you in that amount of time", Castle smiled adoringly at her.

"Really?" Kate bit her lip, trying to persuade a tear to stay put. "Even with all the insults and ear pulling?"

Castle wrapped his arms further around his wife-to-be and swayed her side to side for a moment. "Actually, I thought the ear-pulling and insults were really very sex-"

He caught Mikayla's eye and coughed. "Enchanting."

Kate beamed at him. "You were such a trial on my nerves, but you know I was covering up a major crush."

"I had no idea!" Castle exclaimed in mock surprise.

Kate shook her head and then leaned forward to kiss her favorite writer square on the lips.

They almost forgot Mikayla was there until they heard her giggling next to them.

They broke apart and Castle looked from Mikayla to Kate. "Is she laughing at us?"

This made the little girl giggle even louder.

"Well if she thinks us kissing is funny then she's going to be laughing a lot from now on", Kate smiled.

Castle kept his arm around Kate's waist as he bent down and tapped Mikayla's nose with his forefinger. "Well that will be music to my ears."


	12. Chapter 12

**Thankya as always for reading and reviewing all you wonderful people :-) Keep 'em coming! **

**Enjoy Chapter 12!**

** ...**

Thirty-nine hours later, Kate and Castle were sitting in an extremely confined room, sitting adjacent a very official looking woman with a gaunt but gentle face.

"So, Detective Beckett and Mr. Castle, I see you two are set to be married in August."

"We're counting down the days", Castle grinned, his eyes twinkling as he took his future wife's hand.

"Congratulations", the government official returned genuinely.

"Thank you", Kate smiled.

"Now, Mr. Castle, your daughter Alexis, she lives with the two of you, is that correct?"

"Yes that's right", Castle nodded. "She's very responsible and she just adores Kate", he squeezed Kate's hand under the table.

"And vice-versa", Kate supplied.

"How often is Alexis home? Does she have friends or... boyfriends that are likely to drop by?"

"Well she's a very sociable girl, but I like to think she sees Kate and I as her friends, and for the most part, she seems content to come home after a hard day's work and relax with the two of us... And her Grandmother of course."

"Ah yes, your Mother Mr. Castle... About her..." The social worker paused.

Castle's brow knitted. "_What_ about her?"

"You never had a father growing up, and that was for a simple reason... Your mother never knew who he was", the social worker pursed her lips together.

"Well, you know we never really talk about my father, I've never minded it and she seems to prefer we don't so... we don't."

The social worker lowered her chin to stare at him with a contemplative look.

"Look", Castle moved forward in his chair, stretching his arm out on the table in front of him and Kate. "My Mother may know full well who my Father is, but I trust my mother, and if she doesn't feel it's right for me to know who he is, then I trust her decision. And besides, I wouldn't trade the time I've had with my Mother for anything."

Beside him, Kate's lips twitched into a smile.

The social worker raised her head again and wrote a short note on her little pad of paper. "Now, this may be a bit personal but I do have to ask you, how is your sex life?"

Kate and Castle both chocked on nothing.

Kate stammered, recovering first... well, barely. "Um, it's... fine."

Castle looked at her incredulously. "Fine?"

Kate flushed. "It's good, it's- it's really good... I-I mean, we're not animals or anything but we... enjoy each other?" She grimaced, evidently seeking the assurance from the social worker that she had given the right answer.

She of course, kept a very well set poker face and made yet another note. "And your mother's sex life?" She directed to Castle.

Castle balked. "I-I don't..."

"Is surely _her _business", Kate cut across, rescuing him. "She doesn't entertain gentlemen in our home if that's what you're trying to ascertain."

The social worker scrawled another little piece of information on her pad.

"And, what about your daughter?"

Castle frowned deeply. "What about her?" He snarled, already objecting to the question that had not yet been asked.

"Is she sexually active?"

Castle looked pained as he tried to stumble through a coherent answer. "Well, I mean she has a new boyfriend, whom we have yet to meet, but I mean, he's a nineteen year old guy, I don't expect that he's pressuring her or anything, but I do understand that guys, well... they have needs and he and Alexis have been seeing each other for about six weeks now... n-not that I'm saying that's not too soon to be... I mean, I raised my daughter right, taught her the most important thing was to respect herself. But, you know, girls they... well they have needs too... Sometimes stronger needs than..."

"Yes", Kate cut across him, fearing that the social worker would start to think Castle was trying to make some kind of a twisted come-on.

"Alexis is sexually active", she clarified for the benefit of her fiance who was looking at her bemused.

"She is?" He whispered.

Kate nodded, pursing her lips together. "Her and I were talking about Max last night and their ever-flourishing relationship... She asked me to relay to you that she was happy, that Max is taking care of her and that she's not doing anything she doesn't want to be doing."

Castle blinked a few times, trying to blink away some of the haze from his eyes.

Kate placed a hand on his knee. "I'm sorry I forgot to tell you this morning, it honestly just slipped my mind. With all of this going on and, because I know Alexis is safe and happy then I knew you wouldn't mind waiting a little while to hear that... if she wasn't then of course, I would have told you straight away."

Castle pursed his lips. "Did you make her double pinky-swear that she was telling the truth about really being happy?"

Kate let out a laugh. "I tripled."

Castle smiled at her. "Well that does make me feel better... A little bit."

"I'm just sorry I didn't tell you straight away, you are her father after all, you need to know these things."

"Hey, no, don't worry. I'm just glad she has someone she can talk to, someone she trusts and loves... I still can't believe how lucky we are to have you", Castle placed his large hand over her one that was still resting on his knee.

She beamed as she squeezed his hand lightly. "I'm the lucky one."

The sound of the pen scratching purposefully against the paper brought the pair out of their lovey-dovey reverie.

As the social worker cleared her throat, she did have what could have almost passed for a smile, on her face. "Now, I do have to talk about the work you both do, as it is quite obviously not your usual nine to five."

Kate and Castle looked at each other. "What do you need to know?" Kate asked tentatively.

"At times work in the police force is dangerous, this I understand, and granted, there are plenty of perfectly capable parents out there who raise terrific children... however, you two seem to have a knack for getting into rather parlous situations."

Castle swallowed. "Well uh..."

Kate put a hand out to stop him. "May I answer this, darling?"

Castle smiled at her and tilted his head, signifying for her to continue.

Kate swiveled in her chair until she was looking at the social worker dead in the eye. "I've had a vendetta, hanging over me for a long time. When my Mother was murdered, it became my sole duty in life to catch who was responsible. Along the way, catching anyone's murderer became important to me, and it took away a little bit of the guilt and anger that was festering inside of me. But then if I let a killer get away, I would punish myself for it, and there have even been times when I've been at the business end of barrel or the sharp end of a knife and I've given up because the guilt has eaten me up so much that I've been ready to give into it."

Castle shifted uncomfortably in his seat, hoping this was going somewhere a bit more positive.

"And then when I met M.J, I realized what struggle was really about. And I realized how selfish I'd been not to try and do more to help other people, to get myself up out of my own ass-"

The social worker raised an eyebrow.

"I-I'm sorry I'm just trying to passionately make a point here... I don't usually say anything like that", she added nervously.

The social worker looked like she did not believe her, but she motioned for Kate to continue anyway.

"To get out of my own way and to look at what I could do to help someone who needed it. Someone whose need was greater than mine, more urgent than mine. When I first met M.J, I saw my Mother, and all I could think about when I looked at her was my Mom... And since that first day with M.J, the most miraculous thing has happened; I haven't thought about my Mother or her murder or her killer at all. All I've thought about, and all I ever want to think about... is Mikayla."

Castle's eyes filled with unspilled tears.

Kate shook her head, tears threatening the ledge of her own sockets. "She's the best parts of my Mom without any of the bad stuff, but she's a separate, strong, intelligent, beautiful person, and since she's come into our lives, she has made me realize that I have so much to lose that I don't ever want to. And mostly it's her... mostly I don't want to lose her."

Castle cleared his throat and wiped his eyes as his partner did the same.

"And uh", Castle chuckled a little. "Mikayla has also made me realize how selfish I've been. Even with my own daughter, when she was growing up, I thought I was invincible, and so I was reckless and careless and I never took much of anything into consideration. Knowing Mikayla has made me appreciate what I have more than I ever have. She's made my daughter and I closer, made the three of us stronger as a family. We all value our lives so much more because of her. I promise you, you will never find a family for her that will love her and respect her as much as ours does."

They both looked up to find the social worker wiping her clearly obvious red eyes.

She cleared her throat discretely. "Well, um, I think that's about all we need. I will assess your application carefully and try to get back to you by this evening." The woman offered them a smile before closing her notepad and standing up from the table. "Mr. Castle, Detective Beckett... You'll need a car seat and a bed suitable in size for a four year old. You'll also need to figure out what kind of food Mikayla will eat and purchase something that is dietarily beneficial to a child of her age."

She smiled at them once again and shook their hands. "And I suggest you do all that today."

Kate and Castle's faces lit up with joy as they shook the woman's hand rigorously. "Thank you, thank you so much", Kate grinned.

"You're welcome. The two of you are going to make wonderful foster parents." With that, the social worker left the room.

Kate and Castle embraced each other tightly. When they pulled back from each other, both were beaming widely. Castle ran a hand through his fiance's hair. "Did you hear her? We're going to make wonderful parents."

Kate caressed his cheek, her smile only growing wider. "We've got her, baby... M.J's ours."

...

"Hey Kate, look at this", Castle grinned with wide eyes as he held up a little tutu in front of himself.

Kate laughed. "Ohh, suits you Rick, it really does."

"Right?" Rick waggled his eyebrows.

"Oh sweetie look at this, we _have_ to get this", Kate gushed excitedly as she rushed over to a decidedly pink Disney Princess bed with wings.

"That? That bed?" Castle looked at his fiance as if she must be kidding.

"Yeah, this bed, I mean look at it Rick it's so..."

"Pink?"

"Pretty", Kate crossed her arms in front of herself, a reluctant smile showing on her lips.

"I didn't think pretty things particularly appealed to you?" Castle smirked.

"Well... some do. Look who I'm marrying", Kate patted Castle on the chest.

His jaw dropped before he pursed his lips and considered her statement further. "I guess that's not the worst insult I've ever had."

"Yeah, not even by me", Kate reminded him.

"True", Castle nodded.

Kate giggled. "Seriously though, can't you just see yourself sitting beside this bed with our little girl all snug inside, in a wooden rocking chair, reading her a bed time story?" Kate wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Hmm", Castle smiled happily. "The Famous Five. That was one of my favorites as a kid."

"Famous five, huh? Sounds kind of like us. You, me, Martha, Alexis and M.J."

Castle chuckled. "Cute. Naturally, I'd be Dick, right? Seeing as, just like him, my name is Richard."

"Aw, I was picturing you more as Timmy", Kate smirked behind him.

Castle spun around. "The dog?" He spat.

Kate giggled. "Yes, best friend and ultimate devotee to George."

"Which one of us is George?"

"Me, of course."

Castle's eyes bulged. "I didn't know you had bi-sexual tendencies."

Kate gasped and whacked him on the arm. "I meant the fact that I'm a badass, no nonsense, brainiac", she winked at him. "And like George, I also have a nice ass."

Castle's jaw dropped. "That was such a lesbian thing to say."

Kate shook her head, smirking. "Of course Alexis would be the Anne, the beautiful one."

"And so then I guess Mother would be Dick, the mouthy one."

"Hmm, I forgot that character trait, maybe you should have been Dick after all", Kate teased him.

"And so that just leaves M.J as Julian."

Kate smiled. "Hmm, independent, strong, sensible, quiet... Yeah, that sounds like our girl."

"Our fearless leader", Castle slung his arm around her shoulders.

Kate nodded. "Our fearless leader in a Disney Princess bed."

Castle just hugged her tighter.

Kate's phone rang in her pocket and Castle loosened his grip on her shoulders so she could answer it. "Hello?"

"Is this Detective...", the woman on the other end of the line shuffled some papers around, evidently looking for the detective's surname. "...Castle?"

Kate bit her lip, grinning delightedly. "Speaking."

"This is Lynne from Social Services, I'm ringing you to inform you that you application to foster Mikayla Johanna Ramirez has been accepted."

"Rick!" Kate grabbed hold of her partner's arm excitedly. "Thank you so much."

"So, if we can arrange for you to come in at 4:30pm today to pick Mikayla up from our central office?"

"Yes, yes of course, we'll be there", Kate told Lynne, her grin stretching the entirety of her face.

Kate hung up the phone, kissing her husband... future husband, on the cheek. "Buy the bed, babe. Our fearless leader is waiting for us."

...

Kate and Castle stood nervously in one of the many warren-like halls of the downtown social services building.

"There she is", Castle wrapped his hand around Kate's, his face glowing with love for both her and the little girl who approached them.

"Who're they Mikayla, do you remember them?" Lynne, the social worker asked the small girl.

Mikayla didn't nod. She didn't even smile. She just ran toward Kate and Castle and wrapped her small arms around Castle's left leg and Kate's right, pulling them together.

Castle knelt down, picking her up in his strong arms. "There's our girl", he said softly, smoothing back the wayward strands of hair that had fallen over her face.

Kate wrapped her arms around the two of them. "I love you both so much."

The badass, no nonsense, brainiac Detective nearly had to be helped to remain standing when the confident, strong, sensible, quiet, nearly four year old girl leaned over and pecked her foster mother lightly on the cheek.

...

"OK, you got your backpack sweetie?"

Mikayla nodded happily as she clutched onto her brand new Dora the explorer backpack character backpack.

"Good girl. OK, you ready? Your brand new life with your brand new family is waiting right inside this door my little munchkin", Castle told her gleefully.

"Just before we go inside, can I talk to you for a second M.J?"

Mikayla looked up at her with bright eyes as Kate sat on her knees in front of the child.

"Rick and I want you to be happy with us here. We want you to be really happy with us and with our daughter Alexis and Martha too. That doesn't mean that you need to forget your Mommy OK? We love you, and we hope that one day you might find a place in your heart to love us back, but I know that you already have a big place in your heart for your Mom and it's important that you never let her out of there, OK?"

"And hunny, Alexis is a really fun girl, you two are going to get along so great. You'll love her, everyone loves her, right Kate?"

"Oh yeah, everyone", Kate nodded with a bright smile as the pair lead the little girl inside the door of the loft.

"Welcome home M.J-eez, Alexis!"

A young man with slicked back black hair and a handsome face leapt from his position on the couch, or more like, on Alexis.

"Mom, Dad!" Alexis squealed. "Thi-this is Max", the teen spoke in an embarrassed rush.

"Max" strolled forward quickly, extending his arm to Castle and Kate in turn.

"And who's this adorable little doll face?" Max grinned an award winning grin in Mikayla's direction.

"This", Castle placed his hands on Mikayla's shoulders. "Is M.J... M.J, this is Max, and that over there is our fun - hopefully not too much fun", he whispered for Max's benefit. "Daughter; Alexis."

"Hi M.J, it's so nice to meet you", Alexis chuckled nervously, trying to straighten her disheveled hair.

The wise little girl just smiled.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi folks, sorry this chapter has taken so long, I've had a super busy week - concerts, auditions, rehearsals, business trips and lotsa love n' hugs! **

**Finally had a free day today so I was able to write this lil chap, which I hope you all enjoy very much :-) **

**Hope all my lovely readers are well and have had a beautiful weekend. **

**Enjoy chapter 13!**

** ...**

"Good girl M.J, you're being so good", Kate winced as the little girl did. Kate had been rubbing some baby oil into her shoulders and back for the last ten minutes, trying to soothe the bruises.

"Can I come in?" Alexis asked from the other side of the bathroom door.

"M.J, can Alexis come in here? She has something nice for you." Kate spoke to Mikayla.

Mikayla wrapped her arms around herself and pouted.

"Oh sweetie, Alexis is really nice, and I promise you're going to love what she has for you."

Mikayla pursed her lips but then nodded slowly.

Kate smiled sadly. "Come in Alexis."

Alexis opened the door tentatively and poked her head in first, smiling softly at Mikayla. "Hey M.J, I thought you might like this."

She held up a child-size towel. It had a teddy bear on it, complete with a hood and ears.

Alexis swallowed nervously before kneeling a short distance away from Mikayla, so as to be eye-to-eye with her.

"This is a very special towel that my Dad gave to me when I was four. I couldn't swim and I was really scared of the water, so whenever I got into the pool and tried to swim, even if it was just doggy-paddle, my dad was so proud of me and he bought me this towel so that every time I got out of the pool, I knew I would be safe inside my little bear towel. Every time I swam, my Dad would give me... a great big bear hug." Alexis held the towel up and wrapped it around gently around Mikayla. "For being so brave."

She smiled as the girl reached up and played with the ears.

"It looks cute on you. Do you like it?" Alexis asked her.

Mikayla nodded.

"That's great, you can keep it if you like. And now I'm a really good swimmer, so it works really well."

Mikayla smiled shyly.

"Maybe we can all go swimming together as a family", Kate suggested.

"That sounds like fun", Alexis smiled.

Kate winked at her, mouthing "Love you."

Alexis winked in return before standing up. "I'm going to go back to Max now. I'll see you both at dinner."

"Thanks Lex."

As Alexis walked out, Castle walked in, hugging his daughter on the way.

"Hello lovely ladies. How was your bath M.J?" He smiled at the dark haired little girl.

Mikayla reached behind herself and waved the towel around, showing it to Castle.

"Oh, I know that towel. Did Alexis give that to you?"

Mikayla nodded.

"That's so sweet. I told you she was lots of fun."

Kate smiled warmly at her fiance.

"Speaking of fun, I have something really fun to show you if you and Kate are finished here."

Mikayla jumped up and down excitedly and grinned.

"Hold on now, keep your hair on, you don't even know what it is yet", Castle laughed. "But you are definitely going to love it."

The girl became so anxious that it was hard for Kate to wrangle to get her pajamas on her.

When the girl was dressed in her fluffy purple pj's with fairies on, M.J tugged on Castle's arms, impatient for her "fun" surprise to be revealed.

"Alright, alright, patience little princess", Castle grinned, holding his hand out for Mikayla. Mikayla took his hand and then reached behind her for Kate's.

Kate laughed at Mikayla's animated movements as Castle led her down the hall.

"Tada!" Castle announced as he opened the door to Mikayla's bedroom.

Mikayla's hands went to her mouth as she stood, gobsmacked. Her wide eyes took in the room, complete with her brand new disney princess bed, a beautiful white dresser with brass handles and many, many soft toys.

"This is yours M.J, it's your brand new bedroom."

Mikayla's mouth was hanging open as she looked up at Castle with astonishment.

It seemed as though she literally didn't know what to do with herself.

Kate choked up as she took in the girl's flabbergasted expression. "Rick, I don't think she's ever had her own bedroom", she leaned into him, resting her chin on his shoulder.

Castle squeezed his fiance into his side. "Well she has one now."

But Mikayla didn't just have a room. She had a home.

...

Kate was playing with Mikayla with some of her new toys in the living room while Castle began the dinner. Alexis had gone upstairs to use the bathroom and had left her poor, unsuspecting boyfriend at the will of her Father.

"Sooo... Max, are you joining us for dinner?" Castle asked in a serpent like voice, before turning on the mincer to mince up the beef he had just put in there.

Castle stared menacingly into Max's terrified eyes as the machine grounded the beef.

When it stopped, Max swallowed. "Uh, yes... yes Sir Mr. Castle, if-if there's enough room, I would love to stay...for dinner."

"Of course there's room, and we'd love to have you stay", Kate said, glaring at her fiance as she stepped into the kitchen, motioning for him to buzz of.

Castle looked at her guiltily as he slunk away from the mincer.

He walked over to where Mikayla was drawing a picture and sat down on the couch behind her, keeping one eye on the teenage boy.

"So, Alexis tells me you're a homicide detective." Max began conversing with Kate across the island.

"Yes I am", Kate replied proudly.

"Wow, that's amazing. I've always found the idea of murder a little fascinating, in a horrible way of course. How people can do that to one another... it's a hard concept to grasp."

"You're right", Kate nodded as she grated a block of cheese.

"You know, I've been a fan of the Nikki Heat books for a long time", Max said to Kate.

"You have?" Castle asked from the living room.

Max nodded. "Yeah, I never made the connection between Nikki Heat and Detective Beckett though."

Kate chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Castle made a face. "Hey!"

"Oh, that's not to say that the Nikki Heat character isn't an awesome cop and Jameson Rook isn't..." Max paused, not really sure what to say that would be complimentary enough.

Castle cleared his throat.

"Ah, what I mean is that I've always found the books really clever and the writing style very comedic, Mr. Castle."

"Really?" Castle asked the boy dubiously.

"Oh yeah, I'd read a couple of Derrick Storm's and so when "Heat Wave" came out, I couldn't get down to the store to pick up a copy, fast enough", Max said enthusiastically.

"When Heat Wave came out, you were only sixteen. I wrote the books and, without being too much of a prude... I'm not sure some of the content included was um... appropriate for someone of that age."

Kate pursed her lips. She had to agree, entirely not appropriate. She felt had to come to the boy's rescue.

"Yeah well of course it wasn't appropriate, you were writing extremely personal things, in great detail might I add, about _my_ intimate life... which mostly included you."

Castle opened his mouth. "It wasn't about you and I, really."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Of course it wasn't."

"Mr. Castle?"

"Yes Max?" Castle asked the boy slowly.

"Alexis told me she used to read the books while you were writing them."

"Yeah well, she was my beta."

"She's younger than me, Mr. Castle", Max smirked.

Castle swallowed. "She's very mature for her age and besides, I never let her read _those_ scenes."

"Yeah well, that doesn't mean I never did, Dad", Alexis shook her head as she came down the stairs.

Kate and Castle blushed at the same time.

Alexis sat down on a stool beside Max and sighed. "I'm sorry I left you alone in the interrogation room."

"Oh not at all, your parents have been very gentle", Max smiled.

"Really? OK, with Kate maybe I can picture it but Dad..."

"Hey, I'm not that bad", Castle frowned.

"Oh, I know Dad, you're a big softy really", Alexis smiled sweetly.

Castle narrowed his eyes. "I'm not so keen on that connotation, ever since I gained my Christmas weight."

"Oh well we could always call you "kitten", Rick", Kate smirked, stirring sauce in a saucepan.

Castle gasped. "Oh, now you simply must be punished."

Kate bit her lip. "I'll hold you to that."

Alexis shuddered, embarrassed. "Guys...please."

Max laughed. "What's with the kitten thing?"

"Nothing!" Kate and Castle said together and then gave each other a narrowed glance.

"OK, changing topic...What's for dinner Mom?"

"Lasagna", Kate smiled. "M.J's favourite... right sweetie-pie?" Kate hollered out to the little girl who was still sitting happily on the living room floor, drawing a picture.

Mikayla was transfixed to the picture she was drawing and did not look up or acknowledge Kate.

Castle chuckled, tapping the girl gently on the back. "M.J?"

Mikayla's concentration did not waiver from her work of art.

"I guess our little artist is in the zone", Castle smiled, running a hand affectionately down Mikayla's soft hair.

"I think it's amazing that you two are doing this for her. I hope you don't mind me asking but... what made you decide to take M.J in?" Max asked.

Kate shook her head lightly. "In the end, we really didn't have a choice. It was just something we had to do, like I saw her again and suddenly I couldn't imagine my life without her."

"And you know what, she's doing so much more for us than we're doing for her", Castle added, looking down at his foster daughter with adoration.

"I'm really proud of you guys", Alexis told Kate and Castle.

"Of us?" Kate chuckled.

"Yeah, you don't know how much you're changing her life."

Kate and Castle caught each others eye. "Actually we do... which is why we had no choice but to do it", Castle said softly.

"And hey, Alexis, I know we kind of threw the idea on you pretty quick and I just want you to know... you've been awesome and so accepting of M.J. We really appreciate it", Kate smiled.

"Oh hey, you think I could turn this kid away?" Alexis smiled, looking at the little girl with sparkly eyes.

"She is pretty cute, right?" Max grinned, wrapping an arm around his girlfriend. "I can't wait to have kids of my own."

Castle coughed. "O-ho, but you will."

Max's grin fell and he hastily withdrew his arm from Alexis.

"Dad!" Alexis scolded her father with a frown, grabbing Max's arm and taking it in her hands. "Stop embarrassing me, or Max and I will be forced to leave."

"It's OK, he's just protecting his daughter. If I was only in my forties, the idea of having grandkids would scare me too", Max said, rubbing a reassuring hand down Alexis's arm.

Alexis blushed furiously at Max's direct connotation to the fact that he and her would be having children together.

"Anyway, I assure you Sir, I am very focused on my studies right now. I'm not ready for children just yet."

"Yes, exactly, I feel the same way. Right now I'm just really happy to have a little sister", Alexis smiled widely.

Mikayla's head raised from her drawing and looked over at Alexis, a brilliant smile broke out over her young face.

...

"Mom, that was awesome, thank you", Alexis smiled as she hugged Kate tightly.

"Yeah it really was, thank you Detective Beckett", Max said politely.

"Max, please call me Kate."

Max nodded. "The dinner was amazing Kate, thank you... and thank you for your hospitality Rick."

"Max..." Castle said warningly. He took the boy's hand in a vice-like grip, glaring at him. "It was my pleasure", the writer winked, his lips slowly curling into a smile.

Max sighed in relief and smiled as he shook the hand of his girlfriend's dad.

"Um, Daddy, can I please go with Max for the night?"

Castle's smile dropped and he stiffened.

"After the revelation that you secretly read those..." Castle leaned toward his daughter and whispered. "Sex scenes in Heat Wave when you were underage, my trust in you has just been diminished somewhat."

Kate stared him down until he cracked a little.

"Alexis, pumpkin, you are a young woman now, a very responsible young woman, and, if you are both extra safe, then there is no reason why you cannot go and spend the night with your boyfriend."

Alexis grinned. "Best. Dad. Ever." She threw her arms around her father and then did the same to Kate.

Max, who looked slightly embarrassed about the whole situation, tilted his body to the side and waved goodbye to Mikayla who was drawing another picture in the living room.

"Bye M.J, it was great to meet you. Hope to see you again soon."

Mikayla jumped up from her position on the floor and jogged over to the group of four. She stopped in front of Max and Alexis and handed her foster sister the most recent picture she had been drawing.

The drawing depicted a boy and girl holding hands and smiling.

"M.J...Is this me and Max?" Alexis beamed down at the girl.

Mikayla nodded emphatically.

"Oh that is so sweet, thank you M.J", Max smiled warmly down at the little girl.

"May I have a hug?" Alexis asked Mikayla and the girl nodded again.

Alexis bent down and held the girl close to her. "Let's hang out together soon, OK? Would you like to go to the park with me sometime?"

Mikayla smiled and looked up at Kate and Castle who smiled back at her. She nodded happily once more.

"Awesome", Alexis ruffled her hair.

"Alright you two, have a great night, we'll see you tomorrow Lex. Love you", Kate stepped forward and hugged the redhead again.

"Love you too. Night Dad."

"Goodnight pumpkin", Castle kissed her daughter on the side of her head before letting her go with her boyfriend.

Max put his arm around Alexis. When the pair of young lovebirds were close to the door they heard Max chuckle in Alexis's ear. "Pumpkin?"

Alexis turned in his arms and hit him on the chest. "Shut up."

"No, I think it's cute", Max said, holding her even closer.

"They make a cute couple", Kate smiled at her fiance.

"Mm", Castle hummed half-heartedly. He bent down and picked up Mikayla. "You won't ever fall in love with a boy and leave me will you?"

Mikayla smiled and shook her head.

Castle laughed. "I knew I could count on you Mikayla Johanna."

...

"I think it might be in the one on the left."

Castle eyed up the plastic cup with the little ball inside it as Kate and Mikayla watched over his little magic trick.

Mikayla looked up at Kate whose lap she was sitting on and then back at Castle who was looking very pointedly at the cup on the far right.

Mikayla shook her head with a grin and reached for the cup on the right, lifting it up with a flourish, revealing the rubber ball.

"Oh! I was trying to trick you but it didn't work because you're just so clever", Kate said as she wrapped her arms around the little girl and tickled her.

Mikayla giggled happily before rolling off Kate's knee and walking around the coffee table to join Castle.

"Hello", he smiled at her as she sunk into his side. She yawned widely.

"Ohh, I think somebody needs to go get some sleep, huh?"

Mikayla nodded, rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah", Kate smiled at her tenderly.

"Come on then kiddo, time to go pay a visit to Mr. Sandman", Rick said softly, lifting her into his arms.

He carried Mikayla to her newly furnished bedroom and lay her carefully down on the soft mattress. He kissed her girl on the cheek. "Sweet dreams little angel'."

Kate sat down on the bed beside her and tucked her in. She leaned down to kiss on on the forehead. "Goodnight sweet girl."

Under the blanket she could feel a piece of paper. She slid her hand under the blanket and retrieved the picture Mikayla had been drawing before dinner.

"Rick", she whispered, gaining her fiance's attention. "Look", she held the bit of paper out to him.

Castle rounded the bed and took the paper from Kate's hand.

Looking at the picture their new foster daughter had drawn, he felt a brand new wave of love for her rush over him.

Clearly drawn on the piece of paper was a picture of himself and Kate, inside a love heart. Surrounding the love heart was a young girl with dark eyes and dark hair.

Castle and Kate were inside Mikayla's heart.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello my darlings, here is the next installment, I hope you enjoy it! **

**Also, I just wanted to say how proud I am of our Mr. Fillion who has finally changed his mind on the ability of a Caskett romance to WORK! **

**Now he can join Stana in shipperdom :D **

**Anyway, back to the story, tehe...**

...

"So, future Mrs. Castle, you seem to be relishing in the upbringing of our little girl", Castle smiled, wrapping his arms around Kate from behind while she was standing in front of their mirror, cleaning off her makeup before bed.

"I'm loving it", Kate grinned back as he swayed her gently.

"You're beautiful at it", Castle told her sincerely.

Kate twisted her head so that it rested on his shoulder. "So are you. I can't wait until we have one together."

"Me neither, although I'm glad we've got a running start with M.J. Skipping the diapers and the middle of the night feedings was definitely a good idea for a control test."

Kate laughed. "I wonder if ours will be as gorgeous as her though."

Castle sighed happily against his future wife's neck. "Yeah she is pretty irresistible."

Kate spun around then and locked her arms around Castle's neck. "I know someone else who is pretty irresistible", she told him with a sparkle in her eye.

"Oh yeah?" He smirked back.

"Mm, especially in that shirt you know I love so much."

"I'll tell you a secret", Castle whispered to her, leaning in to lick her ear gently.

"Mm, what is that?" Kate sighed.

"I wore it to impress Max."

Kate laughed so much that Castle had to keep his arms around her just to hold her up. "You are such a doofus sometimes", she told him. "I love you."

"I love it when you love me."

"What about when I love you... multiply", she breathed into his ear, making him shiver.

He sighed deeply, heatedly. "Especially so."

Kate grinned, leaning in to kiss him deeply, groaning as he swirled his tongue around hers and brought his hand to her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb.

He brought his other hand to the small of her back, rubbing small, soothing circles on it.

They pulled away just to breathe for a moment, before Kate leaned forward into him and rested her forehead against his, her nose bumping against his. "Come on", she said softly, taking his hand and leading him to the bed.

She sat him down on the edge of the bed and climbed onto his lap, straddling him, grinding against him, causing him to huff in frustration.

"Ugh, God Kate."

She continued to tease him, running her tongue along his brow and kissing every inch of him that was exposed to her already.

Kate pressed herself into him and began running her hands down his back, fingers stroking seductively.

"Mm, that feels so good", Castle told her.

"Hmm, if I knew this was all it took..." Kate began, until she heard Castle make a noise of protest.

"I have never once heard you complaining about doing all those other things, Miss Beck-ah um, M.J... HI!"

Castle's eyes were wide as Kate leapt off him quicker than lightning and spun around on the bed to see the little girl standing at their bedroom door, her little Rocket toy buried in the crook of her arm.

"M.J sweetie... are you OK?" Kate asked.

Mikayla shook her head, looking somber.

"What is it little one, did you have a bad dream?" Castle questioned her, any feelings of lust he had felt before quickly dissipating.

Mikayla nodded.

"Oh come here baby", Kate beckoned her, opening her arms out to the little girl.

"You're OK M.J, everything is alright", Kate said softly, rubbing her back soothingly.

"Do you want to sleep with us sweetheart?" Castle offered her lightly, his mouthing twisted slightly.

Kate could tell he secretly hoped the answer would be no.

But they were parents now. Libidos took a side step and protective instinct took priority.

Mikayla nodded quickly and Kate pursed her lips. "OK honey bunch, climb in."

Mikayla turned around and clambered up the king size bed, crawling under the sheets, tucking herself in.

"You wanna get the lights babe?" Kate asked Castle sweetly as she climbed in beside Mikayla.

"Of course my darling", he replied with a small bow, making Kate chuckle.

When Castle turned away from them, he cursed silently as the blood very slowly moved from the formerly inflamed area.

He flicked out the light and returned to the bed where he made some space between himself and the other two in the bed, feeling no tiredness whatsoever.

When Mikayla let out the cutest little yawn though, both Castle and Kate couldn't help but smile. And any heat that had been in the room a few minutes earlier, turned to pure warmth. Pure warmth and pure love.

The three of them slept soundly, side by side.

...

When Castle woke the next morning, the bed was empty beside him. He rubbed his eyes and clambered out of bed, feeling slightly disoriented. Checking his wound as he did every morning, he realized it had completely healed up.

He felt good as he bounded out of his room and went to the kitchen to find Kate and Mikayla sitting at the breakfast bar. "Good morning lovely ladies", Castle said cheerfully.

"Well, good morning to you too", Kate smiled as he kissed her on the cheek.

"Someone's in a good mood", Kate told him as she placed a plate full of pancakes in front of Mikayla.

"Yes I am, check this out", Castle lifted his shirt to show Kate the wound. "Oh that looks really good."

"I know, I think I might be losing the bandage tomorrow."

"Aw yay, good work body", Kate smiled as she patted him on his side.

Castle laughed and turned to Mikayla. He gasped quietly. "Are those pancakes? You lucky girl!"

Mikayla grinned toothily and took one of the little pieces in her hand.

"Uh uh, remember what I said sweetie", Kate reminded her in an authoritative yet kind tone of voice.

Mikayla pursed her lips and picked up the little plastic fork next to her, stabbing a piece of pancake with it.

Kate smiled. "Good girl, now you can dip it."

Mikayla bit down on her lip in concentration as she dipped the pancake into her small bowl of maple syrup.

"Mm, maple syrup", Castle groaned.

"None for you Mr. Castle, you may have some boysenberries though", Kate told him firmly.

"But the maple syrup is the best part!" He whined.

"Boysenberries are good for you", Kate gave him a smile and handed him a can of boysenberries.

"Kinda defeats the purpose of having pancakes", Castle pouted.

"I could make you some oatmeal instead."

"Boysenberries will be lovely", Castle smiled quickly.

Kate shook her head with a grin.

"M.J would you like some apple juice?" She asked the little girl who had successfully smeared half the amount of maple syrup she'd been given, over her face.

She nodded again and Kate went to get her some from the refrigerator. "You know what M.J, I think you're a really polite girl. It must be strange for you to think the words in your head, but not be able to say them. I keep going to tell you to say please and I know you can't. I'd like to figure out a way for you to at least say please and thank you."

"Maybe we could assign body parts", Castle suggested, half-jokingly. "Right hand: Yes. Left hand: No. Right elbow: Please. Left elbow: Thank you. Belly button:..."

"Rick, I think we get it and can you really imagine M.J walking down the street pointing from her hand to her elbow?"

"People might think she's making up a really cool new dance", Castle grinned, ruffling Mikayla's hair.

M.J scrunched her nose and Kate laughed, nodding in the child's direction. "Yeah I think it's a little silly too. Don't worry, you'll get used to these kind of suggestions when you're around him."

"Hey, excuse me but not all of my suggestions are-"

"Darlings I'm home!" Martha breezed in through the front door.

"Mother, how was your conference?"

"Abysmal! First, it began with Morgan Foxton, that dreadful, spiteful witch from The Atlantic, talking about the many failed transitions that women have made from acting to producing. Then, the President of the ATC reminding us that women of a certain age are less likely to..."

Martha's rant stopped abruptly when she noticed Mikayla sitting at the breakfast bar.

She took a shaky step backwards, her eyes wide. "Uh... Richard, Kate... darlings, is there something I should know?"

Castle stepped toward his mother. "You buy a cell phone and then never take it anywhere. Honestly, mother", he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "This is Mikayla Johanna Ramirez, and she is living with us. Kate and I are fostering her."

"You're not a foster parent", Martha said, still staring at the little girl.

"No, but Kate is."

Martha looked from Kate to Castle, her lips slowly turning into a large smile.

Finally, her gaze fell back to Mikayla. "Well, aren't you just darling!" She sat next to Mikayla. "I'm Martha, it's very nice to meet you." She smiled at Mikayla who waved to her shyly.

"Ah!" Martha slapped her own knee. "She's simply the cutest thing! Oh darling, don't you remember when Alexis was this age? Oh, that was such a lovely time. Well Mikayla, you and I are going to have some fun together."

"Uh, Mother, your version of fun will have to be vetted by Kate and I first, M.J is not technically ours... I mean, by law."

Castle's heart broke as he saw Mikayla's face fall as she registered his words.

"That's not to say we don't love her to bits and pieces", he amended as he attacked her with kisses around her head and cheeks.

She giggled and squirmed against him.

"What is your favorite color M.J?"

Mikayla leaned forward and pressed her finger to Martha's lips, then held it up in front of her.

Martha blinked in surprise.

"I think she is telling you her favorite color is pink", Kate smiled.

Martha nodded and then leaned toward her son. "But doesn't she speak?"

"Mother!" Castle scolded her softly and Martha grimaced.

Kate stepped forward. "No she doesn't speak as such, but she has ways of communicating, if only the recipient is willing to listen right sweetie pie?" Kate directed at Mikayla.

Mikayla looked up shyly, picking at her pancakes, popping a fluffy piece in her mouth.

"Well, no matter what, we're still going to have a wonderful time aren't we kiddo, hmm?" Martha smiled at the young girl.

Mikayla nodded with a small smile.

"Alexis should be home soon, what do you say we go and clean you up little monkey and then we'll all go to the park?" Kate smiled at Mikayla, picking her up of the stool and into her arms.

Mikayla made a small noise of approval, following it up with a bout of joyous laughter when Kate shrieked "Oh, you're a sticky little stick insect!"

Castle watched them leave the room with a smile of wonderment on his face.

"Uh oh, I know what that look means", Martha muttered.

"What look?" Castle's brow furrowed.

"That look of sheer contentment and utter belief that you'll be together forever."

"What?" Castle chuckled. "Of course I believe Kate and I are going to be together forever mother, we're going to be married soon."

"I'm not talking about Kate darling, I'm talking about that dear little girl you've gone and got yourself all attached to there."

"Mikayla needs a stable home, and Kate and I are able to provide one so... I don't see why we shouldn't be getting attached."

"Darling, this is somebody else's child. How long do you think it's going to be before the poor girl wants to go back? She's not from your world, she's not used to the life your fame brings. It's not normal and sooner or later, if she's not bothered by it, then you can bet social services will be. You certainly can't encourage her to drink champagne at one of your book signings when she's barely fourteen."

Castle shook his head. "Mother I know what I'm doing with M.J. You didn't see the situation she was in before, anything has got to be better than that. Believe me, unless M.J becomes unhappy here, I'm not letting anyone take her... And I plan on making her so happy she never wants to leave home."

'

"Oh darling, one day you'll learn that there are certain things a young woman needs that she must acquire outside of her childhood home."

"Yeah, that's a lesson I'm learning right now as a matter of fact", Castle frowned.

Martha raised her eyebrows. "Ah yes, where exactly is Alexis... or don't I want to know?"

Castle shrugged. "She's fine. She's with her very well brought up, albeit very greasy boyfriend Max."

"Oh that charming young man from the bank, the son that lovely banker?"

"You've met him?" Castle groaned.

"Yes, I was there when he and Alexis met."

"What were you doing at the... Oh, Mr. Davenport?" Castle narrowed his eyes at her, smirking.

Martha threw her hands up in surrender. "We were strategizing my next loan."

"Is that what they're calling it these days?" Castle shot back.

"Shush. Not that it's any of your concern but Gregory and I are rather kindred spirits. His love of theatre and my influence in the New York theatre scene have made for some wonderful evenings out."

Castle pursed his lips, containing a retort. "I'm very happy for you mother."

Martha tilted her head, eyeing him. "I may be wrinkled and old and a grandmother twice-over, but that does not mean that I cannot have a social life."

Castle smirked, staring at her out of the corner of his eye.

"What?" She questioned him with narrowed eyes.

"You just referred to yourself as M.J's grandmother."

He kissed his mother on the cheek and chuckled. "Now, now, you mustn't go getting attached there Mother."

...

"Blow not getting attached, I love you, you beautiful little girl!" Martha hugged M.J tightly to her and kissed her fervently on the head as Mikayla giggled.

They were playing at the park and were sitting on the edge of the sandpit.

"Mother you've got sand in your hair", Castle laughed.

"Oh forget the sand in my hair, Richard we're having fun here can't you see?"

"I can see very clearly", Castle smiled.

"Look what we've got", Alexis called out cheerily as her and Kate arrived carrying two ice creams each.

Alexis handed one to Mikayla as she leapt out of the sand to take it hungrily.

"Don't go running around while you eat it sweetie, it's dangerous. Good girl, you sit down next to Martha and eat it, OK?" Kate requested of the girl who complied instantly and gladly.

Kate handed the other ice cream to Martha and Castle looked extremely put out. "Ahem, where is mine?" He asked Kate accusatorially.

Kate tilted her head as she approached him wrapping her lips around her own ice cream. "I thought we could share. I won't each much and you're on a diet, which you've already broken today with those pancakes."

"But they were the healthy kind!" Castle protested.

"Just trying to take care of my man", Kate told him with a coy smile.

Castle took the ice cream and swirled his tongue around the cool sweet strawberry, smoothing it. He sucked and licked on the cold treat while staring at Kate, watching her eyes darken.

"And what if I want to take care of you?", he said in a low tone.

Kate's breathing quickened and she flushed. "So inappropriate", she spat.

Castle smirked. "I think this is a very good idea actually Katherine, thank you."

Kate shook her head. "You are so too much sometimes."

"Yup, that won't change if I lose weight, darling."

Kate chuckled. "No but it'll be a little more bearable for your poor wife."

Castle's eyes widened and he smiled warmly. "Do you think you could say that again?"

Kate's brow furrowed then she grinned widely. "Your poor wife?"

Castle sighed as he stepped into her, lacing his fingers between hers. "My poor wife... My beautiful, incredible, extraordinary, remarkable, poor wife."

Kate smiled placing her hand on his cheek and leaning in to kiss him lightly. "My sappy husband."

They turned to see Alexis and Martha swaying Mikayla left and right on a boat swing, all laughing happily.

"And our family", Castle said softly.

Kate leaned into him, smiling softly. "Our beautiful family."

...


	15. Chapter 15

**Ooh, it's almost two in the morning now, and my eyes are really drooping, but I wanted to finish this chapter and get it posted. Although it's not one of my longer ones, I still hope you find it enjoyable to read :-) **

**As ever, I am blown away by everyone who has been favoriting and subbing this story and me as an author. It makes me feel so wonderful, as do comments of course! **

**You're all the bests :D**

** ...**

"Good morning darlings", Martha called out happily as she danced into the kitchen the next morning.

She kissed each of her four family members on the cheek, lingering a little longer at Mikayla's side to whisper something in the little girl's ear.

Mikayla giggled and shook her head.

Castle narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing to debauch that poor little girl's mind now, Mother?"

"I don't know what you mean." Martha raised her eyebrow at him.

Castle made a small noise of disbelief before sipping on his cup of coffee.

"What's everybody doing today?" Alexis asked, taking a bite of muffin.

"Well I have a class later on and then Gregory and I are going to take in a little Vivaldi with the New York Phil."

"Ah, well do pass on my regards to the bank manager with whom you are not in a relationship", Castle smirked at his Mother who only smiled sweetly at him.

"What about you guys? Plans?" Alexis asked of her parents.

Kate nodded. "Well your Dad's dressings look ready to come off so we've made an appointment at the hospital to confirm that, and then after that, I'm not really sure. We might take Mikayla to the P.A.R.K. again."

Mikayla's fork clattered to her plate and they all turned to see her beaming excitedly .

Alexis laughed wildly. "I think she can spell park."

Castle put his arms around Mikayla and tickled her. "You're not supposed to be that clever young lady!"

Mikayla giggled loudly, squirming against him.

"Do you know your alphabet M.J?" Kate asked the little girl who nodded.

"You do?" Castle asked, looking at the little girl with a big smile. "Where's your F.O.R.K?"

Mikayla pointed to her plate.

"Oh my gosh, that's so cute", Alexis squealed.

"Where's your K.N.E.E?" Kate asked her with a small smirk.

Mikayla pointed to her knee and Kate gasped. "Oh my god, you're not just clever, you're a genius."

"I'm smart but I didn't know how to spell words with a silent "k" until I was in the first grade", Alexis said.

"What about numbers? Can you count?" Kate asked the girl.

"What comes after three Mikayla?" Castle questioned her.

Mikayla held up four fingers.

"Do you know what three plus two is?" Alexis asked her.

Mikayla held up all the fingers on her right hand.

They all laughed in amazement. "You're so clever", Kate told her as she raced around the breakfast bar to kiss her on the forehead. "Rick, we should be getting this girl into school don't you think?"

"That would be a great idea, if we enroll her now, we could have her in at the start of the new year", Castle replied excitedly.

"Would you like to go to school with other children, M.J?"

Mikayla grinned and nodded fervently.

Martha cleared her throat deliberately. "One little problem there... The, uh, no speaking deal?"

Everyone's excitement faltered.

"What if she went to like, a special school?" Alexis asked tentatively.

"No, no she needs to be at a school where she can blossom to her full potential. She needs the best", Castle said adamantly.

Kate stroked his back. "And she'll have it babe, don't you worry. I don't know what it's going to take. Speech therapy, whatever she needs to help her, we're going to make sure she gets it. Right?"

"Of course", Castle said, placing a hand on top of Mikayla's shoulder. "Anything for our little girl."

Mikayla reached behind herself, wrapping her little arms around Castle's waist.

"Is it just me who feels like she's been here before?" said Alexis ominously.

Kate ran a loving hand through her step daughter's hair. "No it's not just you Lex. I know she has, and I know she's here with us now for a reason."

"Of course, you don't believe in fate though... right Kate?" Castle teased her.

Kate pursed her lips. "I may be being converted."

Castle gave her a crinkly eyed smile.

"Anyway", Kate continued, stepping forward to press a hand to Mikayla's cheek. "I most certainly believe in one thing... I believe in Mikayla."

...

Later that day, Kate, Castle, Alexis and Mikayla went to Mount Sinai hospital for Castle's appointment to have his wound checked.

Martha had gone on her non-date date with Mr. Davenport and was currently canoodling with him to the sounds of the 2nd movement of "Summer".

"Mr. Castle?" The nurse called Castle into the exam room.

"Are you sure you two will be alright?" Kate asked her step and foster daughters.

"Mom, stop panicking, we'll be fine, you go look after Dad and make sure he doesn't steal a whole lot of of medical supplies like last time."

"Hey!" Castle groused, throwing his daughter a look.

Alexis simply smiled at him as her parents left her and the little girl to their own devices.

"So M.J, shall we hit the zone at the children's hospital?" Alexis grinned, holding her hand out to her foster sister who took it happily, jumping off the chair and practically dragging the red head along the sterile corridor with her.

,,,

"Well Mr. Castle, that looks very good, and how is your memory serving you these days?"

"Sharper than ever", Castle smiled.

"That's excellent", the nurse smiled at him as he and Kate prepared to walk out.

"Oh and may I just say congratulations to you two, I think what you're doing for that little girl is wonderful", she said.

"Um, I'm sorry, what?" Kate blinked.

"The little girl that the two of you are fostering. You looked very happy together in that picture in The NY Post."

"What picture in The Post?" Castle asked with his jaw slowly clenching in rage.

"The one of you guys and your mother and daughter and the little girl... playing in the park. It's in this morning's issue, page 7."

Castle glanced at Kate who wore the same angry expression he did. "Excuse us", he growled, breezing past the nurse.

Castle strolled quickly to where the hospital gift shop was and picked up the nearest copy of the New York Post newspaper, flipping to page seven.

"Slimy, not fit for a sewer, rat-bastards!" Castle swore, looking at the picture.

"Babe", Kate chastised him as a family with young children walked past them.

"Richard Castle, mystery novelist, master of malicious intent was today spotted with his soon to be wife, Detective Katherine Beckett, who is known widely as the inspiration for his lead character Nikki Heat in his series of recently successful best sellers. Also in their presence were his mother and daughter, Martha Rodgers and Alexis Castle (19). What will intrigue our readers is the fact that also spotted with the family was an unidentified little girl with brown hair and eyes. Is there something that Rick and Kate have been holding our from us? Is she a relative or have the mystery writer and detective been involved for longer than we've been lead to believe and could the girl possibly be their love child? We want to know!"

Kate placed a hand to her forehead. "Oh God, what are social services going to say?"

"I can't subject M.J to being exposed like this, she won't know what any of it is about and she won't question any of it because she's too good and pure."

"Come on hun, you're giving her a good life, don't let your celebrity take over your heart. Just don't let it get to you, OK?"

"How do you deal with it?" Castle asked her, his face and voice softening slightly.

Kate thought for a moment. "Remember when we first announced our engagement, the press went wild, had a field day, rumors galore, kept seeing candids of me with my belly superimposed to make it look as if I might have had a baby bump", Kate rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I paid dearly for the amount of damage control I had to employ Gina to do."

"Well do you remember what we did after a week of it finally got too much?"

Castle's eyes lit up. "We went to the Napa Valley on a wine tasting tour."

"Yeah well we can't leave the state with M.J, nor can we take her wine tasting, but we can take her out of the city for a night or two, get away from all of this", Kate hit the paper with the back of her hand.

"Can we go to the Hamptons?" Castle asked with a hopeful look.

"Sure, sounds great, a little sea air will do us all some good", Kate smiled at her fiance.

"Let's go find the girls and get out of here then."

"Right behind you."

The pair of them walked to through to the Kravis Children's hospital where they found Alexis and Mikayla surrounded by a crowd of people, parents and young patients alike, all seemed to be fussing over her, some of them were yelling and some where trying to grab onto her.

"Mom, Dad!" A relieved Alexis called out above the head of a teenage boy hooked up to some kind of portable machine.

"Get away from her. Leave my girls alone. I know you all saw the picture in the paper this morning, whatever questions you have, you can ask me, but leave Mikayla alone", Castle shouted over the crowd.

"Mr. Mr. Please is this your daughter?" A foreign woman approached Castle, pointing to Mikayla.

"Well she's... Yes she's my daughter", Castle took a step back at the woman's obvious emotional state.

"Thank you, thank you for bringing her to us", the woman grabbed Castle's hand and kissed it.

Castle withdrew his hand from her grasp in shock.

Alexis caught his attention and he could see that his daughter was crying. She managed to untangle herself and Mikayla from the swarm of sick kids and their families.

"Alexis what is going on here?" Castle asked his daughter, taking Mikayla into his arms, wrapping her in them protectively.

"Dad, you'll never believe it. M.J she... she saved a little girl's life."

Castle's head whipped in the direction of the nearly four year old who was looking at him with big bright eyes.

"What? How?"

"That lady there, her daughter who's about the same age as M.J, she was having what they're saying must have been a seizure, but she was inside the little playground so no one could see her but M.J was there and she must have seen the little girl struggling to breathe because when she dragged her out of there, the little girl was blue and had gone unconscious."

"She dragged her out of the playground?" Castle asked, looking at his foster daughter with sheer amazement.

Alexis nodded, pursing her lips to stop herself from crying again. "Yeah she did and the doctors started performing CPR on her right away and they're saying she's going to be OK... thanks to M.J."

Castle couldn't contain himself, he began to weep as he held tighter to the little girl who seemed to be quite unaware of what she'd actually done.

Kate sobbed as well and wrapped her arms around Castle and Mikayla. "Oh M.J, oh Mikayla you're a hero, you're a real hero. I'm so proud of you."

Alexis joined their little huddle and placed an arm around both of her parents. "She's amazing guys, I love her so much already, we can't let her go to anyone else anywhere, not ever. Please say she can stay with us."

Castle lifted his head from where he'd been crying into Mikayla's hair. He took the brown eyed girl's face in his hands, looking at her enigmatically and whispered

"Always."

...

Later that night, the famous five were lying out on the grassy flat section of the Castle Hamptons holiday home, starring up at the stars...Well, Martha was sitting in a deck chair, feet reclined and a glass of something rather expensive in hand, but still, she was with the family, they were all together, and that's what mattered to Mikayla right now.

Kate and Castle were so proud of Mikayla and what she'd done that afternoon that they'd promised to buy her anything she wanted, which had turned out to be a chocolate ice cream she'd seen at a rest stop during their drive from Manhattan.

Now the little girl lay on her back, full of chocolate ice cream and relaxed and happy lying on the grass, listening to the waves lapping in a dependable rhythm on the beach and looking up at a sky that was full of more stars than she'd ever seen.

She'd never felt this happy or safe in her life. None of them had.

Kate and Castle's hands were locked together, laced above Mikayla's head, fingers playing lightly against one another's palms.

Alexis gasped softly. "A shooting star... make a wish M.J."

Mikayla made a wish, so did Kate and so did Castle. There wishes were all the same, they all wished that the moment they were in right now could last forever.

"You see that really bright star up there M.J, the one just above that cloud?" Kate spoke softly, not wanting to raise her voice far above a whisper and ruin the magical moment.

Beside her, she felt Mikayla's hair move as the young girl nodded.

Kate smiled. "That's my Mom's star up there, she's the same star every night, I always know where to find her."

Castle squeezed her hand gently.

"You see my Mom is not with me here anymore, but I still talk to her all the time. The star carries my messages to her and when it twinkles like that, that's how I know she's received them."

Kate turned slightly to face Mikayla. "You know your Momma would be so proud of you. I bet the biggest time you miss her is when you just wish you could tell her something like the amazing thing you did today, and she's not here for you to tell."

She saw Mikayla's eyes drop slightly as she picked at some grass. "But you know, all you have to do is pick a star in the sky, and from that moment on, that's your Mom and that's where you'll be able to look up every night and tell her all of the good things you want to say to her... even the bad things, although I'm going to make sure nothing bad ever happens to you again."

Mikayla looked into Kate's eyes.

"I know you can do anything you want to do sweetheart and Rick and Alexis and Martha and I, we're going to make sure your future is a bright as all of these stars in the sky."

Mikayla turned on her back again, gazing up at the stars, deciding which one would be her Mother's.

The little girl had no clue of what her future would hold, but she knew no matter what, it had all started today.


	16. Chapter 16

**This one kinda got away on me without my permission! I think I got a little excited after the smut scene in the first part... :p **

**Enjoy!**

**...**

"Last one to the bathroom is a slimy toad!" Alexis hollered out to her foster sister, persuading Mikayla to leap up from the couch and rush toward the bathroom to brush her teeth.

Alexis pretended to race her there.

Kate grinned as she leaned back against her fiance. "I'm so thankful for Alexis, she's just so good at practically everything."

"I know", Castle sighed happily. "Where she ever developed a knack for all these things I'll never know."

"Her ability with kids is no mystery Rick, just look at the great example she had with you."

"Aw, thank you sweetheart" Rick smiled softly at her, pecking her lightly on the lips.

"I love you", she told him, leaning further back into his warm and protective hold. "This was such a great idea coming here with M.J. I miss it here now you know. I know I've only been here once before but it just feels like coming home."

Castle grinned. "I have very fond memories of the two of us christening that countertop last time."

Kate laughed. "Oh yeah, that was a little bit stupid."

Castle frowned at her.

"Oh not the sex, the sex was..." she blew out a huff of breath and winked. "No I mean how your stitches were not even remotely dissolved yet and your wound was still kinda icky."

"Oh you're right, that was a little dumb", Castle agreed.

"People in love do crazy things."

"Well that really wasn't that crazy, what was crazy was what you did with the shower head the next day...a little crazy and also a lot hot."

Kate stifled a laugh against his chest.

"Oh no", Castle exclaimed quietly all of a sudden.

"What?" Kate asked him with concern.

"I just realized something... we're not going to be able to do things like having spontaneous sex in the kitchen for a very long time. What with the kids and all."

"Kids?" Kate raised her eyebrow.

"Yeah, M.J and our baby."

Kate's lips curved upward. "You're right, we might have to start making a schedule."

Castle groaned. "A sexdule?"

Kate laughed, "No... Come on, I'm sure Martha will gladly take M.J for the night once in a while, give us some alone time, we could go to a motel or something."

Castle made a face. "Nah-uh, my child is not going to be conceived in some sleazy motel. What kind of story will that be to tell?"

Kate coughed. "One that he will not be told no matter where he's conceived, we don't want to scar the poor kid for life!"

Castle stared at her, beaming.

Kate furrowed her brow. "What?"

"You said "he". Kate, you want a boy don't you?"

Kate pursed her lips. "I'll be honest, I would love a boy but whatever we have I just want them to be healthy... and the longer it takes, the more chance there could be of that not being the case."

Castle tightened his hold on her and placed a kiss tn her temple. "Don't worry sweetheart, it'll happen soon OK? And hey, I know that we're going to love and protect this child of ours no matter what. Right?"

Kate kissed his chest beneath his shirt. "Of course."

Mikayla and Alexis came bounding out the bathroom.

"Show Mom and Dad how beautiful and white your teeth are M.J", Alexis told the little girl who flashed her foster parents a huge grin.

Kate and Castle both shielded their eyes. "Oh no I think I'm blinded!" Castle said.

"Those are some ultra sparkly bright teeth", Kate smiled.

"M.J and I are going to go and read a story and then I'm going to skype Max for a while."

"OK pumpkin, thanks so much", Castle gave his daughter a genuine smile.

Alexis smiled in return. "It's what big sisters are for."

"Come give me a kiss goodnight baby girl", Kate told Mikayla who bounced over to the detective and kissed her on the cheek, wrapping her little arms around Kate's neck for a cuddle. She did the same to Castle and then Alexis came over and picked her up off her father's knee. "Come on little piggy, I'll give you a ride", she grinned, letting Mikayla climb onto her back and carrying her up the stairs. Laughter from the two of them could be heard until they had gone far down the length of the corridor of the holiday home.

Kate and Castle smiled at each other. "It's so quiet here", Kate pointed out.

Castle nodded. "Yeah, it's peaceful huh?"

"No cars, no sirens, no Ryan and Esposito running down suspects and giving out information."

"Even mother has kindly made herself scarce, well actually she possibly didn't stand much chance against the wine after it made her pass out on that deck chair outside."

Kate laughed and then she bit her lip. "Rick... are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"We should go and paint a mustache on her face?" Castle grinned.

Kate shook her head, bringing her hand to toy with one of the buttons on his shirt. "You just said so yourself, this could be the most alone time we're going to get for a while... What would you say to a little bench top romp? "

Castle swallowed. "K-Kate, the girls are just upstairs."

"That's a whole 3000 square feet away... I can be quiet if you can", Kate said, her face turning devilish as she blew on his earlobe.

Castle groaned softly. "I can do that."

"Well come on then writer boy, come turn on my faucets." Kate took him by the collar and walked backwards, leading him to the kitchen.

"Only if you help me do something about the leak in my hose", Castle responded, lifting her up onto the kitchen counter in one smooth movement.

"Deal", she growled hotly against his neck.

Castle unzipped her pants and pulled them down around her ankles in one swift movement.

"No underwear", he noted aloud, approval dripping from his voice.

Kate shrugged. "We're on holiday."

He smirked at her and leaned over the counter to kiss her as one of his fingers grazed over her centre, making her shiver against him. "God, you'd better hurry Rick."

"I thought the risk turned you on", he said against her neck as he slipped his finger inside her.

Kate bit into his shoulder to muffle her loud moan. "Precisely the reason why you need to hurry."

"Oh." Castle understood. He kicked off his own pants without any more talk and brought his cock to her to coat himself with her abundant wetness.

They sighed together as he pushed himself inside of her, pulling her closer to the edge of the bench to get better access.

Kate wrapped her legs around him and soon they were rolling perfectly in sync with one another, their bodies buzzing together.

Again, he brought his mouth to hers and they sucked on each others' lips before pulling back with a slick pop.

Castle sucked on her chin and she just about drew blood when she had to bite down on her lip to stop the scream that almost came when he hit her in just the right spot.

Her long fingernails dug into his back and he increased his pace, their thighs slapping together. She started slipping backwards on the bench, her ass squeaking against the polished marble each time she did.

Castle lifted his fiance up and with a few more strokes, she came in his arms, Castle following soon after.

They breathed shuddery breaths together and he withdrew himself from her, placing her down on her feet. She hung on to him, her legs shaking violently.

He chuckled. "You OK?"

"Yeah, just give me a minute."

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her close to him. "I love you so much."

Kate smiled widely. "Love you too."

"You want to go upstairs?" Castle's eye twinkled.

Kate nodded. "Yeah... after you clean the counter."

She wriggled out of his grasp, pulling her pants up again. "Be thorough hunny, but also... be quick OK?" She winked at him saucily and sauntered up the stairs.

Castle shook his head. "Mrs. Castle, you downright minx."

...

Kate and Castle awoke the next morning in each others' arms, greeted by the view of the ocean and the most beautiful day.

Kate moved her long legs beneath the sheet, waking her fiance.

"Mm, morning." He said softly.

"Back at ya", Kate told him, nuzzling his chest with her nose.

He stroked long fingers through her hair and then ran them down her neck. "Last night was amazing. Now that I have no wounds to worry about or stitches that could pull out, I was totally relaxed with you for the first time and I have to say Detective... it was _nice_."

"Well I've been getting a lot of pleasure from you for quite some weeks, so I'm glad you are getting the same... I love making you happy."

Castle eyes crinkled when he smiled at her this time. "You do make me happy."

Kate strengthened her hold on him, drawing herself closer to his naked body, enjoying his heat.

"Um, Rick?"

"Mm."

"Is there something a little unusual with this picture?"

Castle shifted beside her. "What do you mean?"

"Shouldn't we have a little girl running in and jumping on our bed right about now?"

Castle chuckled. "Maybe Alexis is playing with her."

"Mm, maybe", Kate sounded hesitant.

"Kate..."

"Yeah?"

"You miss her don't you?"

Kate scrunched her nose, he knew her far too well. "N...yeah."

Castle laughed. "You want to go see her?"

"Can we?"

Castle laughed again at her tentativeness. "Come on", he grinned, tickling her so that she roused quicker.

She squealed and hit him on the chest. "If you weren't such a good father, I would cause you some serious damage."

"Ooh, well... maybe later", he grinned.

She rolled her eyes as she slipped her pants on and then thew his jeans across to him. Meanwhile, he held up her lacy red bra to his own chest, smirking.

"You think this would break if I put it on?" He asked in a serious tone.

She stormed round the bed as he continued. "Maybe I should parade around our private beach wearing it."

She snatched it off him. "Yeah well, maybe later", she countered.

He laughed again as she quickly put it on herself and then he helped her put on her top, running his hands down her sides. "God I love watching you do that."

She laughed. "Getting dressed? Surely it would be better the other way around?"

He smiled, taking her arms in his hands. "Actually I love watching you do anything but I just decided to voice it just now."

She chuckled, bringing her hand to his face and leaning forward to kiss him. "You're pretty fascinating to watch yourself Mr. Castle... Now come on, I want to see our little girl."

Castle followed as she took his hand and dragged him down the hallway to where Mikayla's room was. The door was still only partially open and Kate pushed it open quietly. When they both peeked their heads in, they both smiled happily.

The little girl was still asleep, her rocket toy in her arms and her "Noddy" book on her stomach. Soft snores could be heard as she breathed in and out peacefully.

"She's so beautiful", Castle's voice broke a little bit.

Kate squeezed his hand.

"I get so mad at the thought that anyone could hurt her. How could anyone-" He choked and Kate turned around to sooth him.

Soon they heard the little sounds of Mikayla waking up.

"Hey there sleepy head", Kate smiled, walking over to her bed and sitting down on it.

Castle walked behind her and sat down too. "Did you have a good sleep sweetheart?" He sniffed.

Mikayla didn't nod, she just looked at Castle sadly and clambered out from her blankets to wrap her arms around him. Caste wept some more.

After a couple of minutes, he managed to compose himself. "I love you Mikayla, do you know that?"

Mikayla nodded slowly, still looking distressed.

Castle put a hand on her little cheek and shook his head. "Did you see your mommy cry a lot?"

Again, she nodded, her little lip trembling.

"Who made her cry... was it her boyfriend?"

Mikayla raised her eyes in thought for a moment and then shook her head.

"Was it your uncle?"

Mikayla turned her head away, not wanting to answer that question that she obviously felt conflicted by. She loved her uncle but she loved her mother more.

Finally, she nodded.

"Did your mom's boyfriend... Did John comfort her like this sometimes?" Castle motioned between the two of them.

Mikayla blinked away a tear and nodded once more.

Castle's voice shuddered. "You've had your heart broken, haven't you little girl?"

Mikayla burst into tears and she leaned forward into Castle, crying on his shoulder .

"Never again, my angel." Castle promised in a whisper. "Never again."

...

When the Castle clan traveled home the next day, Mikayla seemed quite distraught. She was unsettled in the car, wriggling around and constantly trying to unbuckle her seatbelt on her car seat.

"M.J! M.J sit still, you have to say in your car seat", Alexis pleaded with the girl.

"What's the matter with her?" Kate asked worriedly.

"I think she wants to go back."

Castle swallowed. "You don't think she thinks... when I said we're going back to our normal lives again, you don't think she thought..."

Kate stopped the car and turned around, reaching out for Mikayla's hand. "Oh M.J. hunny, no. No you're not going back to them. We would never send you back to that awful place... Oh sweetheart, don't cry, please don't cry."

Kate got out of the car and opened the back door, climbing in, leaning over Alexis, holding Mikayla tightly. "You're coming home with us, OK? We aren't ever letting you go."

Mikayla continued crying. Alexis placed a hand on Kate's back to soothe the detective who was becoming increasingly upset herself.

"There's something else isn't there?" Kate asked, pursing her lips. She sighed. "I wish I knew what it was. I wish we could find a way for you to tell me."

Castle cleared his throat. "There might be something we can do."

"What?"

"I have a deaf friend from back in my college days. She's a sign language interpreter."

"Oh. But is she, you know. Personable enough to deal with a child so fragile as Mikayla?"

Castle gave Kate a serious look. "Well she was a bit of a tough nut back in college, but I haven't seen her in years, her age might have softened her a little."

Kate sighed.

"Kate. We have to do something."

Kate closed her eyes and nodded. "Alexis, Martha, could one of you hop in the front please? Rick, you're driving."

Castle's eyes flew open and he practically bolted out of his seat and around into the driver's seat. Martha moved around the car and took the passenger seat side while Kate moved into her seat in the back right of the car.

Kate continued to hold Mikayla's hand the whole way back into the city.

Allaying the girl's fears with every caress of her hand.

...

"Hello Mikayla, my name is Lucy."

Mikayla's eyes darted around as the woman touched her chest, moved her fingers around in strange ways, gave some sort of salute and then moved her fingers around in a quick and funny way again.

Mikayla looked up at Castle, wide-eyed.

He gave her a kind but unsure smile and stepped forward to shake the woman's hand. "Nice to see you Lucy", Castle rubbed his hands together, put the tips of his two index fingers together and pressed his fingers in a V shape to his eyes, bringing them forward again, then he also made some funny shapes with his fingers, grimacing when he mucked it up."

Lucy smiled. "Very good Rick", she gave him a thumbs up.

"Thank you", he brought both hands to his chin, extending them out again.

Mikayla thought her foster dad had turned into some kind of alien who could only communicate with other aliens, this other woman being one of them.

"OK, well I usually find it best if the student is left alone with me, so if the two of you would like to wait out in the hall?" Lucy asked of them.

Kate and Castle looked hesitant. "Uh, well she's very shy around new people.I'm not sure if-"

"I have worked with at risk youth, I have worked with children who were abused by their parents because they were deaf and not "proper humans"".

Castle swallowed.

"A lot of the kids who have just lost their hearing are angry and upset and I have picked up many ways to deal with them. Patience and perseverance is the key." The woman spoke with an impairment, replacing "r" with "w", almost like a child of Mikayla's age might speak in their every day conversation.

It seemed to resonate with Mikayla because when the deaf woman looked down and gave her a soft gaze, extending her hand, Mikayla took it without hesitation.

Kate and Castle raised their eyebrows. They were feeling somewhat betrayed that Mikayla wasn't exclusively dependent on them, but they were also relieved that she was complying so well, and they knew she'd be safe with this woman.

The two of them left the room quietly, watching their foster daughter engaging with

a stranger.

They exited the room and Castle turned to Kate. "I'm jealous."

Kate rubbed his arm comfortingly. "I know how you feel babe."

"Geez, what am I going to do when she starts school... What do you think about homeschooling her?"

Kate gave him a reticent smile. "I think she needs as normal a childhood as she can get. She needs friends and happy memories of times both with her family and away from them."

Castle closed his eyes and nodded reluctantly. "I know, I just love her so much. She's too new to us, I'm not ready to give her to anyone else yet."

Kate ran her fingers through his hair and shook her head with a watery smile. "You're her daddy."

Castle opened his mouth but Kate placed her fingers over it, silencing any argument he had.

"You didn't create her. You won't find your D.N.A in her. But you love her, you'd die for her, you'd kill for her. You'll protect her with every bone in your body, every beat of your heart beats solely for her... well, for _us._"

Castle sniffed back some tears and nodded.

"You are her dad Rick."

Castle wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her on the shoulder. "Still as extraordinary as the day I met you."

Kate smiled.

"Sheesh, two break downs in two days. Anyone would think that I was PMS'ing."

Kate laughed as she held closer the man who was soon to be her husband.

...

Kate and Castle were tucking Mikayla into bed that night.

Kate sat down on the little girl's bed. "You did so well Mikayla, did you learn a lot?"

Mikayla held her hands out in fists and moved them like she was knocking on a door.

Kate's brow furrowed. "What does that mean?" She picked up the book the sign language interpreter had given her and skimmed through it. She found the sign on the first page.

"Oh - yes!" Kate laughed. "Oh you're so smart", she beamed as she ruffled the little girl's hair.

Mikayla giggled.

"OK little one it's time for you to get some sleep now. Sweet dreams sweetheart", Castle said softly as he leaned over and kissed her on top of her little head.

Kate smiled, doing the same as Castle. "Goodnight M.J, we love you."

Mikayla pulled on the hem of Kate's shirt to gain her attention. "What is it sweetie?"

Mikayla held up the index finger, pinky finger and thumb of her right hand.

Kate was about to pick up the book to find out what that particular sign meant but Castle stopped her by taking her hand in his own.

"Kate...That sign means "I love you". Castle had to dry his eyes for the third time that day. "She's telling us she loves us."


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey everyone, sorry this one took me so long, there was actually a reason for my posting this particular chapter today, apart from the fact that I've been extraordinarily busy! The 23rd of July is my Grandma's birthday. She was also my best friend and I lost her in a car accident ten and a half years ago. She would have been 84 today. **

**You'll understand why this is important very soon...  
**

**By the way, did you guys check out my one shot I wrote this week? "Safer with you" ? s/8332489/1/bSafer_b_with_byou_b  
**

**Alrighty, without further ado, here's the new chap! Hope you enjoy it :-) **

**...**

After a week of daily sessions with Lucy, Castle's deaf, sign language interpreter friend, Mikayla was conversing with some confidence.

Indeed, the whole family had begun to pick up some of the signs. They could all understand Mikayla if she said she was hungry, tired, hot, they knew when she was telling them she was unhappy or scared. And most specially, they knew what she was telling them when every night before bed, she told them all she loved them.

"Hey little girl", Kate smiled as she walked past Mikayla who was sitting at the breakfast bar, spooning some cheerios onto her spoon on this particular Monday morning.

She placed a kiss upon her little head and then leaned over the bar to kiss her fiance who was making coffee.

"You should have woken me, I would have helped you get M.J ready."

"I didn't want to wake you, you looked so beautiful and peaceful lying there", Castle told her, handing her a steaming cup of coffee.

"Getting M.J ready is one of my favorite parts of the day", Kate said.

"Mine too, we have to share the enjoyment", Castle smiled.

Kate sighed dramatically. "Well I guess I can do that", she cracked a smile finally and turned to M.J, tucking a piece of her dark hair behind her ear to stop it from falling in the milk.

"What's that you're eating M.J?"

Mikayla pated the index and middle finger of her right hand to her left palm and then brought them to her mouth.

"Cereal, that's right my clever little bunny", Kate giggled as Mikayla grinned with milk dripping down her chin.

"So Miss M.J, what do you want to do today?" Castle asked Mikayla.

Mikayla held up the index and middle fingers of both hands this time and swayed her hands side to side.

"Party?" Kate laughed. "Great idea sweetie, any particular reason why, or are you just in a partying kinda mood?"

"I'm always up for a party", Castle winked in the direction of his foster daughter.

Mikayla touched her three middle fingers to her chin, then her chest.

"Birthday? Whose birthday?"

Suddenly Castle gasped. "Oh my god, Mikayla, it's your birthday!"

"What?" Kate squealed, aghast.

"I just remembered reading in your file that your birthday is July 23rd, oh M.J I'm so sorry I didn't recall, I-I would've done something, got you some presents, arranged a party with balloons and a cake..." Castle stopped when Mikayla shook her head.

Mikayla signed, holding up her right pinky, pulling both hands, turned upward and fisted, toward herself, touched her open palm to her chest and then finally, brought her index finger and thumb together on both hands, pulling them round in a circle and bringing them together.

Kate and Castle glanced at each other, both shrugging.

"I'm not sure we got all that hunny, can you do that again, please?" Kate asked the little girl.

Castle followed along as she repeated her movements. "I...want to... um, oh ah- my... I want... my..."

"I want my family", Kate said softly and Mikayla smiled at her, giving her a thumbs up.

Castle sighed, giving her a sad smile. "I know you do sweetie, and I know your Momma and Uncle would like to be here to share your special day with you but they're in heaven now, they're still looking down on you from above, and they're very proud of-"

Mikayla cut him off by reaching up to take his face in her hands, holding his gaze for a moment before shaking her head.

She pointed to Castle and then to Kate and then patted her chest again and did the same final sign as before.

Castle choked back his emotion. "Yes we are your family, you're right. We are your family." He took the little girl's hand in his own.

Kate wiped away her tears as she stepped forward to wrap her arm around Castle and take Mikayla's other hand in her own. "I think we really suit each other", she whimpered.

Castle stroked her back softly, clearing his throat. "Well, you know what I feel like doing today?"

Both ladies shook their heads.

Castle smiled. "I feel like going to the park, and then I feel like buying the biggest chocolate ice cream cone I can find. Does anybody else feel like doing that too?"

Mikayla shook her arms emphatically.

Kate laughed. "Don't shake those things off sweetie, you're gonna need 'em to hold your ice cream."

Mikayla grinned.

"Finish up your cereal sweetie pie and then we'll go aye?"

Mikayla returned to her cereal, shoveling it in.

Kate shook her head, looking at her soon to be husband. "You definitely should have woken me up this morning, I so can't get enough of her."

He chuckled and pulled her in for a kiss. "You know who I can't get enough of?"

Kate laughed breathily as he pulled her flush to him. "Oh well then, next time you ought to wake me up even earlier, that way you can have as much of me as you want."

"I want all of you", Castle grinned wickedly.

"Then by all means you shall have it", Kate whispered in his ear, discreetly licking his lobe. "Tonight."

"What about early in the morning?" Castle pouted.

Kate bit her lip, winking at him saucily. "Yup, then too."

She chuckled at the ultimate look of desire on his face, turning around to get Mikayla's sweater off the couch.

Castle looked on as his beautiful fiance made the menial task of picking up a sweater off their couch look graceful and elegant. He then looked over at the now four year old girl who was eating her bowl of cereal, he could tell she was talking to herself in her head and he was hit by a wave of emotion when he knew that he was lucky enough to be part of those thoughts.

He sighed contentedly, wondering in all honesty whose birthday it really was.

...

Kate and Castle took their foster daughter to Central park where she spent most of her time on the "big kids swing" as Castle had dubbed it. Castle happily pushed the little girl on the swing as she demanded to be pushed higher and higher.

"Are you trying to get your wings?" Kate had chuckled as she returned from getting three ice creams and saw Mikayla wriggling around in her swing seat, trying to push herself to the sky.

"Ice cream's here!" Castle yelled out loud and pulled the chains on the swing toward himself to stop Mikayla.

Castle lifted Mikayla into his arms and jogged over to where Kate was sitting on a park bench with their frozen treats.

Castle gasped. "You mean I get a whole one?"

Kate smiled seductively at him. "I'm sure you'll work it off tonight... oh, and tomorrow morning."

Castle took a big lick of his ice cream and then, with all the chocolate in his mouth, he leaned over to his fiance. "Kiss me."

Kate squealed as he brought his mouth to hers and then moaned more at the taste of him than the taste of the ice cream. She wrapped her arm around him then, her other hand still holding her own ice cream.

They could hear Mikayla giggling as they pulled away.

Castle turned to look at the little girl who had already managed to smear half of the ice cream over her little face.

"What about you little monkey, you want a kiss?" Castle asked as he moved toward her.

Mikayla giggled louder and louder as he came closer and then he proceeded to place big wet kisses all over her cheeks.

"Mm, chocolate covered M.J. My favorite!"

Kate smiled warmly at the two of them and continued to eat her own strawberry ice cream. She spotted a group of people, including several small children, hovered around a sign and the edge of a pond. "Oh hey you two, look over there." She said to Castle and Mikayla.

"Hmm, wonder what's going on there. You want to check it out M.J?"

Mikayla nodded and the three of them walked over to the pond where a man was speaking.

"...one of these cute little ducklings a name. It can be any name you like and when you come back next time, the little machine will connect to the special chip inside the duck, so you'll be able to follow its progress, even when you're at home. It's a great thing to do for your kids folks, a great gift for any of your animal loving friends. Own one of our central park ducks and you don't even have to take it home!"

Most of the crowd walked on by, some parents having to drag their children away.

"Hey hun, that sounds really cool. We should get one for M.J, don't you think?" Kate asked.

"I think that's a sweet idea", Castle agreed.

"M.J, you want to name one of these duckies and then we can come back and visit it every time we come to the park?"

Mikayla beamed, nodding.

"OK", Kate smiled back, standing up to address the man. "How much is it, please?"

"For you fine folks, I'll give you the tracker for... a hundred and sixty-five dollars."

Castle took out his wallet. "How's one fifty sound?" He said, taking out all the cash he had.

The man gave Mikayla a quick glance and pursed his lips. "Aright, you guy ya selves a deal."

"Thank you, much appreciated", Castle gave him a genuine smile.

"That your daughter?" The man conversed with Castle as he assembled the tracker in front of Castle.

"Ah, foster daughter, yeah."

"Oh yeah? My sister-in-law does that. She's got eight in her home? You folks got any more?"

Castle shook his head. "Oh no we don't run an actual home or anything, we've just got M.J."

"I see. Lucky kid."

"Well, we rather think we're the lucky ones", Castle smiled as he saw M.J gazing in awe at all the baby ducklings waddling around in the little pen.

"Alright then, which one will it be?" The man asked.

Castle called out to Mikayla. "M.J, which ducky do you want?"

He watched Mikayla thinking.

"We won't be able to tell if it's a girl or a boy until they're about four months old. The boys are the pretty ones, they have the green on their heads, see?" The man told her as he stepped up beside her and pointed out into the lake where the adult ducks were swimming.

But Mikayla pointed to a little duck that was smaller than the rest. She watched with sadness as all the other ducks seemed to trample on it as it remained still.

"You want that one? The little one there?"

Mikayla shook her arms.

The man took a step back, looking startled. "Well don't throw a tantrum kid, I'll get you that duck if it's what you want."

"Oh no, she's not... she's just saying yes. It's sign language, she doesn't speak", Kate explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize", the man apologized, grabbing the little duckling out of the pen.

"Now this little ducky here is only five days old so it's still a little bit, well, if you'll forgive the expression... duck footed."

Castle chuckled. "Nice."

The duckling was a very fluffy and cute black and yellow thing with eyes almost as inquisitive looking as Mikayla's.

"What do you want to call it M.J?"

Mikayla looked at the bird with delight and reached out to it. The duck nibbled at her finger lightly and Mikayla squealed in surprise.

The three adults chuckled.

Mikayla looked up at Castle and finger spelt a four letter word.

Castle followed along carefully. "Gozo? What does that mean?" He smiled with a confused expression.

"That's Spanish for "joy"," the duck man told them.

"Oh that's a beautiful name M.J, very well picked", Kate said to the little girl.

"I never realized you were bi-lingual M.J."

"She's tri-lingual now", Kate reminded him.

"Yeah I suppose she is. See? I told you she was a bright spark, how many little girls can say they speak three languages when they're only four."

"Well, two that I know of", Kate said quietly.

"You could speak three languages by the time you were four?" Castle asked dubiously.

"Three languages and little bits of Italian", Kate said, looking shy.

Castle blinked in amazement. "Wow, you just amaze me more every day."

Kate smiled and then turned to see her foster daughter releasing the duckling into the water with a yelp of... joy.

"Now that's gozo", Kate smiled.

"It sure is", Castle replied, pulling her closer to him as they watched their birthday girl, as enchanted with her as she was with her new pet duck.

...

When the three of them got home that evening, they were greeted by the sound of "Happy birthday to you" being played on the piano.

Mikayla ran over to Martha and climbed on her knee, hugging her tightly once she had finished playing the tune.

"Happy birthday darling!" Martha cooed.

Mikayla signed "thank you" and then thrust her little tracking device for Gozo toward her foster grandparent.

"What's this?"

"M.J adopted a duckling today and named it Gozo which is Spanish for Joy", Castle smiled.

"The little device there is connected to a chip which tracks Gozo's movements so that M.J can keep an eye on her duckling all the time", Kate told Martha.

Castle walked into the kitchen to start making a coffee and to get Mikayla a juice. "Of course, we say adopted but M.J understands it's more of a fostering arrangement. One day Gozo will be all grown up and will fly away. There's a chance that her ducky could return but she knows there's also a chance that Gozo may never return. But until the time Gozo is ready to fly, M.J is going to look after it and love it very much, right M.J?"

Mikayla's head was down and she appeared to be upset.

"M.J, what's wrong sweetheart?" Kate asked her softly as she walked over to where she was sitting on Martha's knee.

Mikayla frowned, pointing to herself, she shook her head and then pulled her downward turned fists toward herself.

"What M.J, what don't you want?"

Mikayla made a motion like she was grabbing the air and then made a flicking motion with her whole hand.

Realization suddenly dawned on Kate and she took Mikayla's face in her hands. "Oh no sweetheart, no."

Her and Martha shared a look. "Look at me OK?" Kate asked of Mikayla who looked up at her with tears teetering on her lashes.

"You're not going _anywhere_, do you hear me?" She pulled the little girl into her embrace. "Sshh, no please don't cry sweetie, we are not going to let you go for a very, very long time."

"We love you Mikayla" Martha reiterated.

Castle round the bench and came over to where the three ladies were.

Kate looked at him and he nodded with a small smile. Kate cleared her throat. "In fact, Rick and I were wondering if you would let us... properly become your legal..."

"Special delivery for the birthday girl!" Alexis hollered out as she entered the loft, carrying a large and decorative birthday cake.

Everyone's attention was drawn to Alexis and to the beautiful and delicious looking cake.

"Wow Alexis, that's the most amazing cake I have ever seen", Kate told her sincerely.

"Yeah, how did you get it made so fast?" Castle asked his daughter.

Alexis shrugged. "Max's mom called in a favor from one of the caterers she works with regularly", Alexis bent down to Mikayla's height. "Happy birthday M.J, do you like your cake?"

Mikayla's tears had been wiped away sometime in the last five seconds and she was now grinning from ear to ear.

"Looks like she definitely does... Thank you so much Lex, you're awesome", Kate wrapped her arms around the young red head.

"You are too Mom, love you", Alexis smiled.

"You want to help me cut the cake M.J?" Castle asked the little girl excitedly.

Kate looked concerned. "Ooh Rick", she said tentatively.

"Don't worry", he reassured her. "I'll use a plastic knife and I'll hold her hand."

The doorbell rang.

"Oh pumpkin, can you get that, it's probably the C.L.O.W.N" Castle spelled out for Alexis as he walked Mikayla into the kitchen to find a suitably harmless kitchen utensil.

Mikayla looked up at him with bright eyes and made a motion with her hand as if she was unscrewing her nose. The sign for clown.

Castle made a noise that was half indignant, half amused. "Oh, come on little Einstein."

Alexis opened the door to find a man of around twenty-six standing there. Uncertainty dressed his features. "Hello", he said with a South-American accent.

"Hi, um, can I help you?" Alexis asked him.

The man shifted on his feet anxiously and peered into the loft, his face lighting up as he did. "My name is Vincent Marcos...I'm Mikki's dad."


	18. Chapter 18

**Whoa, can't believe how much I wrote, I kinda really got into these scenes! **

**I just want you guys to know I really love this chapter and I regret nothing about making that statement. ;-)**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

...

"Dad", Alexis called out to her father from the door, eyeing up Vincent warily.

Castle and Kate both had heard the man's introduction and were now frozen in their spots.

Mikayla peered around the kitchen counter and her eyes locked on to her father's instantly. Vincent Marcos placed his hands on his knees and leaned over, his face a picture of elation at seeing his daughter for the first time in more than a year.

"Mikki", he gleamed, his eyes teary already.

The residents of the loft felt their hearts sink as Mikayla ran toward Vincent and allowed herself to be scooped up into his arms.

Vincent wrapped himself around her and spoke to her softly in Spanish.

Kate and Castle looked at each other with pained and shellshocked expressions. Alexis backed away from the door, prompting her father once more, desperation and deflation evident on her pale young face.

Castle gaped silently for a moment before walking forward and extending his hand to the stranger.

"I'm sorry, Rick Castle, please come in", he prompted a grateful and greatly relieved looking Vincent.

"Thank you" he smiled genuinely in return.

Martha stood up quickly from the piano and took Alexis by the shoulders. "Ah, won't you excuse us", she said politely to Vincent as she could see the teenager becoming more and more upset and she didn't trust Alexis's emotions not to explode within the next short while, in what would presumably be a torrent of unwelcoming words and actions toward their guest.

"I'm very sorry to come unannounced like this but..." Vincent lifted his little girl's head from his shoulder. "The last time I spoke to Mikki, I had just missed her third birthday and I promised her I wouldn't miss her fourth."

He seemed to be enraptured by his reunion with his daughter.

And vice-versa.

"She looks happy to see you", Kate noted softly, leading Vincent, who was still holding Mikayla, to take a seat on the couch.

"I am so happy to see her. When I got the call from the police to tell me about Mia, I wanted to come straight away but I couldn't get any time off and it's hard to get into America without arranging it before. I had been planning to come to New York to see her today for months though, so here I am... Finally", he grinned, holding her closer to him.

"I have to ask, why did you go back to Mexico in the first place?"

Vincent sighed. "I didn't want to...leave my girls? It killed me inside but Al's drug problem was hurting our family, emotionally and financially. Mia would do anything for him and I would do..." he stopped and closed his eyes, sighing again before continuing. "Would have done anything for Mia. I came here in 2003 to finish high school but I dropped out and was here illegally for three years until I got work as a contractor with the kind of crowd that didn't really care about papers. Cheap labor was what they needed and that's what I gave them. I met Mia in '07 and we fell in love. She was the best thing that ever happened to me and for a start, I really liked her younger brother. Then when Mikki was born things were going really great for us, but then it was 2009 and not only did the work run out, but the business I was involved in was shut down completely. There was no money coming in and Alonso was starting to fall off the rails. Mia became obsessed with trying to help out her brother. Some nights she'd come home crying and she'd go straight to Mikayla's room and sleep with her all night but she'd never come to me. She knew I didn't support Alonso the way she did and we'd fight about it a lot. She told me she wouldn't give up on her brother but I couldn't sit around and watch her get pulled under by him and his mistakes and I was able to be a better father to Mikki by moving back home where I had a job offer, and even though I knew Mia was using most of the money to help Alonso, I sent most of what I earned to her."

"Because you loved her", Castle said softly.

Vincent squeezed his eyes, letting a few tears fall. "Yes. And I loved Mikayla... so much."

"Did you know that Mia was having an affair with John Wilkes?" Kate asked, her police questioning instinct coming out naturally.

"She told me there was someone and that he was helping her with Alonso. I was devastated but I kept sending the money for Mikki."

"Yeah well he helped her with Alonso alright", Castle muttered bitterly.

Vincent stilled. "He- he was the one that..." He let out a whimper and leaned back on the couch, squeezing his daughter to him. He glanced down at Mikayla and then back up at Kate and Castle. "Did he-did he hurt Mikki?"

"No", Kate reassured him. "He was a policeman, he never abused Mia or Mikayla, he had some very wrong ideas about Alonso though and unfortunately, he had the power to make things happen that should never have happened."

"But Mia-" Vincent started weakly.

"In the end, Mia's death was a tragic accident", Kate grimaced. They hadn't talked this much about the events of that day around Mikayla before and she was feeling very uneasy about this whole situation.

"Look, I know you don't know who I am, you don't know if you can trust me or not, but I'm in the city for a few days and I really would like to spend some time with my daughter and then maybe...who knows? I might take her back to see Mexico, I have a little money saved up, we could maybe take a trip, huh baby girl?" Vincent smiled down lovingly at Mikayla who looked up at him and started signing something to him.

He frowned in confusion. "What is she doing?"

"She's speaking in sign language", Castle said.

"Why? Did something happen to her? Is she deaf?" Vincent asked the two of them, horrified.

"No, she just hasn't spoken a word since we met her so we've had to find other ways for her to communicate", Kate told him calmly.

"But she was speaking to me on her third birthday, it was all just kind of babbling but she was speaking a little."

"Well after a traumatic event things can sometimes change", Kate said, making Mikayla turn around to look at the detective for the first time since her father's arrival.

"It's probably just because she has been with strangers." He leaned over to speak into the four year old's hair. "It's OK mi amo, Daddy is here now, you can speak to me, it's alright."

Kate sighed deeply. In one way she hoped Mikayla might actually begin to talk aloud, but in another proud and selfish way, she hoped the little girl would remain quiet and prove Kate right when she'd believed that if the little girl was ever going to be trusting enough to speak again, it would be because of something the detective did, because of all the time and love she'd given her, that it would someday be rewarded with the gift of hearing her little girl's voice for the first time.

Mikayla buried her head in the crook of her own shoulder and shut her lips forcefully and Kate did a mental fist pump.

"Um, I'll tell you what. M.J, why don't you take..." she hesitated. "...Your daddy and show him your room while Rick and I have a little bit of a talk, OK?"

"Can you show me your room?" Vincent asked Mikayla a little over-zealously.

Obviously Mikayla didn't pick up on the exaggeration in his excitement as she bounced off the couch happily and lead him up the hallway to her bedroom.

Castle stood up as soon as Mikayla and Vincent were out of ear shot and whispered fervently to Kate. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know what we can do", Kate told him helplessly.

"He can't just waltz in here out of nowhere and take Mikayla from us. He'll have to go through child services and they'll have to do a background check on him, make sure he's properly vetted before they even think about letting him do so much as taking her out for ice cream, right?"

Kate shook her head somberly. "He's still her legal guardian. He didn't sign her over to the state, her mother's death and his lack of presence lead to that happening but now that he's back... we really don't have any say. And neither do social services, unless they deem him unfit to take care of M.J."

Castle was growing, and looking, more despondent by the second. "But he can't just take her out of the country, he'll have to at least inform social services that he has her, right? And then he'll have to at least appear in front of a judge with us to ascertain that we're letting him take her, which by the way, I am highly apposed to right at this moment."

Again, Kate shook her head. "He doesn't need to, he's her biological father. All he has to do is go to the putative father registry and M.J will be placed in his custody straight away, and from there he'll be free to go wherever he can legally take her... It's easy to get out of the country, hard to get back in."

Rick breathed shallow and fast, his heart breaking slowly, chamber by chamber, artery by artery. "He can't do that", he choked out, tears streaming down his face.

Kate bit down her shaking lip and turned away, not able to watch her future husband cry. She sobbed, her voice full of pain and regret. "Yes he can."

Castle swiped a vigorous hand over his face and then stormed out of the room.

Kate's heart broke for him and his pain, as for her own. She glanced over into the kitchen where the cake was sitting, untouched, and she wondered how such a wonderful day could possibly be about to end so terribly for herself and her family.

...

Kate gave Castle a bit of space, leaving both of them to cool off separately and giving them both a bit of time to mull over their options, though if it transpired that Vincent Marcos decided to leave and take Mikayla right this moment, there was really nothing they could do.

After fifteen minutes of running over all the legal knowledge Kate had in the area of foster laws, she stood up from the couch and went into the kitchen, bypassing the decadent cake to make herself a cup of much needed java.

She heard movement behind her and she turned to see Martha standing there, fresh tear stains running down her cheeks, her thin arms wrapped tightly around herself.

"Richard is with Alexis... I don't know who is consoling whom."

Kate closed her eyes briefly. "I'm so sorry Martha. I just don't know what we can do."

"Darling, none of us were expecting this to happen. I'll admit when that little girl first came into my life, I had reservations. I had fears that this would happen and I warned Richard, but there is something that child does to a person, a way she has about her that draws you in and just traps you."

Kate smiled sadly. "She crawls in your heart and stays there."

"You did the right thing Kate. You gave a home to a child who needed one. You loved her the way she deserved to be loved, and if you think that man in there is what Mikayla needs now, if you truly believe that he is the best thing for her... then you do what's right... you let her go."

Kate inhaled a shaky breath. "I let her go once before and it was a mistake. I can't let that happen again."

"I understand that. It would appear Mikayla and her father have a very special bond though."

"Yeah but she's so innocent and unassuming and-"

"And she's happy. And surely if she's happy, that's all we can ever wish for."

"Even if the rest of us are miserable?" Kate shook her head wearily.

Martha walked forward and wrapped her arms around her soon to be daughter-in-law. "Even so."

Kate stomped her foot. Martha was right of course. It had taken a long time for Kate to do so totally, but she had learned to love herself. Though she loved Mikayla much, much more.

"Excuse me", Vincent's soft voice rang out in the room.

"Hi, she doing OK?" Kate asked him.

Vincent nodded. "Yeah, the room you guys made for her is beautiful. You have looked after her so well."

Kate wanted to plead with him. "If you really think that, then don't take her."

Instead, she just nodded her head with a small. "Thank you."

"I was thinking maybe of buying a car to get back home. I don't want Mikki to have to go on the bus, she doesn't like strangers too much."

Kate bit her lip, remembering how quick Mikayla had been to accept herself and Rick. Maybe they were exceptional to her after all.

"I suppose you'll probably be wanting to keep most of the things you bought for Mikki, maybe you'll even want to sell them."

Kate shook her head irritably. "No, those are her things. They'll-they'll go with her."

"So we can take them with us?" Vincent asked, his face lighting up.

Kate's heart sunk yet again. "J-just let me go and find a suitcase for you to put everything into."

She left the room, before the man could see her break down.

She found Castle and Alexis sitting in Alexis's bedroom, on the edge of her bed. Castle had his arms wrapped tightly around his daughter, holding her as she cried.

"Mom!" Alexis jumped off the bed and flung herself around the detective who hugged her back with limp arms.

"I'm so sorry pumpkin."

Alexis pulled back abruptly, shaking her head. "No. No! You can't let him take her, she's- she's ours. _We're_ her family now."

"Alexis-"

"You promised. You promised me, you promised _her _that we would never be apart."

Kate wanted to hit the rewind button, go back to a couple of hours ago when the "famous five" were just about to consume a cake that had been delivered for their fearless leader and they all believed that knock at the door was a clown.

She would have hit pause and stayed there forever.

"Alexis hunny, you love M.J, we all do and when I said that to you, I didn't think her father would be coming back into her life because I made an assumption that he didn't care about her... But now I can see that he does and that Mikayla loves him. I'm not saying she'd be better off with him but I'm saying that she deserves to know her father and I really do think... he needs her just as much as she needs him."

"But we need her too", Alexis whimpered.

"Look at me, OK?" Kate requested of Alexis, taking the teen's face in her hands. "We've overcome our share of hurdles. This is just one more of those things we're going to have to get over. M.J will be in our hearts forever, and I'm hoping that if we're amicable enough with her Dad that he will bring her back to see us."

Alexis pondered this and then shook her head. "I don't think I can take that."

Kate looked over at her fiance who walked up behind Alexis and placed his large hand on her shoulder. "Alexis, I love M.J too but the only thing I can think of is how I would feel if someone told me I couldn't have my daughter. If somebody else had you, I wouldn't care how much they loved you or promised to look after you, I would do _anything_ to get you back. And especially if something happened to Kate and you were both taken away from me? I'd fight to the death."

Kate squeezed Alexis's other shoulder. "If we care about M.J, we can't go dragging her through any more courts just to decide whose home she gets to live in... There's no good solution to that. Either her father gets her or we prove him negligent somehow and just end up showing her that another person she thought she could trust, she really couldn't."

"It needs to be her decision. If we respect her today as much as we have been for the past few weeks then the decision should be up to her", Castle concluded.

"What if she can't make the choice?" Alexis queried.

Castle's hand slid across his daughter's back and joined Kate's on the other side. They locked eyes and made a telepathic decision.

"Then we do what's right. We let her go to her real Dad", Kate said, though it broke her heart to do so.

Alexis shrugged off their hands angrily. "What the hell is _real_ anyway? My love for her is so real that I feel like I want to just crawl up in a ball and die."

Castle sobbed. "Alexis please, please don't speak like that... I can't- I can't lose you too. Please, pl..." He collapsed onto the floor as Alexis held him up, somehow finding strength enough for both of them. "I'm sorry Dad, I'm sorry", she wept.

Kate fell to her knees beside them and they all held one another for just a few moments more, praying that they would get through this together.

...

When the three of them emerged from Alexis's room, Kate retrieved a suitcase and brought it downstairs.

Vincent went to take it from her with a grateful smile but Kate stopped him. "Um, do you think we could help her pack? You know, at least give us some time to say goodbye."

Vincent took a step back from her and nodded. "Yeah, of course."

Alexis went to follow her parents and grandmother to the room but stopped suddenly at the little girl's door when she saw her wrapping herself up in her own old teddy bear beach towel complete with ears.

Alexis put her hand over her mouth to stifle a sob and turned to her family. "I'm sorry, I-I can't do it. I can't say goodbye!" She turned and ran back down the hallway and up the stairs to her room.

Mikayla looked up quizzically at them as Alexis ran away.

Kate had to turn away from her to gather herself emotionally. Castle took her hand in his own and stroked it reassuringly, stepping in front of her and bringing her down beside him, kneeling in front of Mikayla.

Mikayla stood and looked at Kate with a frown. She signed. "You cry, why?"

Kate sniffed. "It's OK baby, I'm just a bit sad at the moment."

Castle spoke. "I bet you're happy to see your Daddy again" He played with a lose tendril of her hair.

She shook her arms, signifying that she was.

Castle gave her a small smile. "He wants to take you to Mexico, do you know where that is?"

Mikayla shook her head.

"Well it's not really very close to here. It's on the other side of the country, in a complete other country actually, and what that means is that even though you'll be with your Daddy, _we_ won't be seeing each other very often."

Mikayla cast her eyes downward, apparently thinking over this new information.

Kate leaned forward and took the girl's small hand in her own. "But that doesn't mean we won't always be thinking about you... You remember what I told you about that star, the one where you can talk to your mommy?"

Mikayla nodded slowly.

Kate smiled softly at her. "Well you're going to have to pick another one for me, OK? And I'm going to pick one for you and then that way we can still be together in some way."

Mikayla signed "I go with Daddy?"

Kate and Castle looked at each other solemnly and then back at their little girl. "That's right sweetie", Castle whispered weakly.

She looked downcast. "I don't stay?" She signed.

"Your Dad loves you M.J, you have to go with him", Castle told her.

"You love me too", Mikayla signed again.

"Oh darling, of course we love you", Martha cried as she swept across the room to wrap Mikayla in her arms.

Kate was crying freely by this point. "But your Daddy needs you OK? And when need you to be strong for us, we need you to be the best little girl in the world for your Dad. Then we need you to grow up healthy and happy and be the best that you can be Mikayla Johanna Ramirez."

"And then when you're all grown up, we're going to be watching you succeed and we're going to be so proud of you", Castle blubbered. "And we're going to be able to say that we got to know you, that we got to be part of your magnificent life. And that we're lucky enough to have your love."

"Now", Kate wiped her own eyes and flicked back her hair out of her eyes, taking both of Mikayla's arms in her hands. "I don't want you to promise me you're going to be OK young lady... I want you promise me you're going to be _great." _

Mikayla raised the index finger of her right hand and then brought her open hand to close down on her left fist.

_I promise. _

"Good girl", Kate choked out with some effort.

Mikayla signed "I miss you" and Kate burst into tears again. "We'll miss you too baby girl."

"So much", Castle and Martha said together, wrapping Kate and Mikayla in a fierce group hug.

...

Together they packed up most of her things, leaving behind empty cupboards and drawers and a stripped fairy princess bed.

"Alright, she's all packed up", Kate told Vincent as she brought the last of Mikayla's clothing into the entrance foyer.

"Thank you so much for everything you've done", Vincent told them sincerely.

Castle looked from him to Mikayla and sighed. "It was what she did really, we should be thanking you for creating her... she's astounding."

He sighed again and walked into to his office, coming back with twelve hundred dollars in cash, in his hand.

He held it out for Vincent. "Here... get a decent car, make sure she's safe... you keep that little girl out of harm's way, you understand me, young man?"

Vincent looked completely taken aback, whether it was because of the money or Castle's abrupt tone, Kate wasn't quite sure. "Yes Sir", he told him sincerely.

Castle's expression softened as he knelt down to speak for the last time to Mikayla. "You be brave M..J. You be brave just like Curly, and remember, stay away from the rapids, but don't be afraid to swim."

Mikayla gave him a small nod and he leaned forward to wrap his arms around her tightly. "I love you", he whispered into her hair.

He stood up and walked over to Kate who held him as he dried his eyes.

Martha walked over and kissed Mikayla on the forehead. "Don't you go forgetting us now."

She walked back to where Castle and Kate were and announced she was going upstairs to be with Alexis.

Kate took a deep breath before walking up to where Mikayla stood and bending over to sweep the little girl into her arms. "You be a good girl for your Dad. You remember your manners and you think of me everywhere you go, OK? And you just know that we're thinking of you too."

Mikayla nodded and leaned forward to press her lips softly to Kate's. Kate trembled and she put the girl down on her feet, leaning over to press their foreheads together.

"I will _always_ love you M.J".

Vincent addressed them uncomfortably. "You have no idea what this means to me. Thank you again."

"You be good to her or I swear I will..." Her grief was too much to handle and she just shook her head. "You just be good to her."

Vincent touched her gently on the shoulder, looking at her with bright eyes, so much like his daughter's. "I promise you I will."

Kate just gave him a short nod and slunk backwards into her fiance's open arms.

Vincent picked up the bag with Mikayla's toys in it, her car seat and the suitcase with all her clothes and linen, leaving her to carry her Rocket soft toy and a back pack with her story books and a snack for later that Kate had prepared. including a couple of slices of her birthday cake.

Mikayla turned to her foster parents and signed "I love you", her mouth opened partially and the words seemed to play on her tongue but only a puff of air came.

Vincent opened the door to the loft, prompting Mikayla to walk out ahead of him, speaking to her sweetly and softly.

Kate turned her head to bury it in Castle's neck and by the time she had turned back, the door had closed.

And in the same sudden way she had come into their life,

She was gone.

...

**So, you know how I said I really loved the chapter... Yeah I'm guessing some of you maybe... don't share my enthusiasm? o.O ... Sowwy?  
**

**'twill be fixed, you have my word.  
**


	19. Chapter 19

**Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments, you're all awesomesauce :D **

**Wow, so this one was actually a real challenge to write, a lot of different emotions went into it and the snippet of smut just sort of... came naturally. (OK, so the phrasing I used there is maybe not the connotation I intended to make.) But yeah, I hope that you get the emotion coming through when Kate and Castle are... you know. **

**Enjoy!**

**...**

Kate and Castle sat in the living room of the loft, just as they had done two months ago. So many things had happened in those two months, and Kate and Castle were different people now than they were then. The couple had more patience and compassion, they knew all of the names of the characters featured on several different kids TV shows and they had even begun to learn a new language. They'd experienced more loss than they'd ever thought possible, and they'd faced it together.

They were stronger for it, but they didn't know that yet.

"I'm going to make a coffee, you want one?" Castle asked Kate who was blankly staring out of the living room window.

She shook her head. "No thank you."

Castle opened his mouth to speak but the words fell dead on his lips. He bowed his head and walked into the kitchen.

They heard the lithe footsteps of Martha descending the stairs. "Alexis is asleep, she was exhausted from crying so much", she announced.

The couple could see that the older woman had fresh tear tracks down her own cheeks.

Castle gave up on his coffee and wiped his hands on the tea towel that was hanging off the kitchen sink before walking out of the room with a huff.

Kate turned her head, resting her chin on her shoulder, she watched him go and it felt as if he was leaving her. They'd made this decision together but they would still blame each other for the outcome.

She turned back around, fixing her eyes to the bustle of the city outside. She felt so nervous thinking about her little girl out there, not knowing where she was. The past few weeks had provided Kate with a sense of calm. She knew that whenever Mikayla was with them, she was safe and that made Kate feel safer in herself.

Looking after Mikayla, raising her to her full and beautiful potential was what Kate had thought she and Castle would be doing. It gave Kate a sense of reassurance and purpose to know that she could mould a life into something greater and filled with more peace than her own had been.

Martha walked up behind Kate and placed her bony but comforting hand on her soon to be daughter-in-law's shoulder. "It's going to take some time. He'll be fine eventually, he's been through things like this and time and again he's reached the end and come out... relatively unscathed."

Kate swallowed, knowing the things he'd been through had all happened in the past five years. Had all happened in the time he'd known her.

"I've done so much to hurt him", Kate croaked out without thinking too much on it.

She heard Martha make a noise of protest behind her before the red headed woman was standing in front of her, her made-up face blocking Kate's view of New York city.

"But you have done so much to heal him", she told her fervently. "This whole family. Yes, fine, before you came into our lives we may have been living a blissful and peaceful existence. But we were living in ignorance."

Kate sniffed as Martha placed both her hands on either side of the detective's face. "You brought truth into our lives. You brought experiences and ideals and principals and justice to our attention. You've made us stronger and wiser and more street smart than an old bird like me could ever hope to be."

Kate gurgled amusedly.

Martha smiled at her sadly, running her hand through the strands of brunette. "You have opened our eyes to seen both sides, and I can say without a word of a lie my dear that if I could go back and chose between Richard never being brought in by you and all of us continuing to live a life of blissful ignorance and utter contentment, and knowing you, sharing in your struggles, having you share in ours and experiencing this painful but honest world I now know exists all around us... I'd chose you Kate. I'd chose you _always_."

Kate reached up to touch her palm to Martha's hand as the older woman's thumb wiped away her tears.

"You know Martha, I haven't officially asked you this yet but... I wondered if you would do a reading at the wedding."

"Oh Kate, I'd be delighted. I would be absolutely honored", Martha sounded genuinely astonished.

"There's a very special poem I'd like you to read. It was read at my Mom and Dad's wedding, it was written by my Mom."

Martha gulped back a tear, blinking several times. "Darling. To represent Johanna on the most important day of her daughter's life, will be the proudest day of mine."

Kate stood and wrapped her arms around Martha in a tight hug. "I love you Martha."

The embrace tightened as Martha whispered in return. "Right back at ya kiddo."

...

Castle stood in the doorway, staring into the room formerly occupied by their foster daughter. It seemed almost sacred now, untouchable, a place that he wanted to leave undisturbed, unchanged.

If only their lives could have been unchanged today.

He entered the room slowly, cautiously, almost believing that at any moment his little girl would come bursting through the door and jump on him, pulling him to the floor with her to illustrate a story with her barbie dolls.

The bed still remained and he ducked under the canopy, and sitting on the bare wood of the elaborate and hotly colored structure, he placed his elbows on his thighs and lay his head in his hands.

He felt a weight in his stomach, mixed with a tension and jittery urge to walk out the front door and find Mikayla.

He knew in his heart that letting her go with her father was the right thing.

But how could it be the right thing when that same heart was so broken?

He felt something hard under his thigh and he reached down beside himself to feel around for whatever it was.

He lifted the small apparatus to his eye line and stared at the small screen. it was the GPS tracker that monitored the movements of the duck they'd purchased for Mikayla.

He wondered how long it would take for Mikayla to realize she'd abandoned her adopted pet duck Gozo.

He wondered if she'd cry, he hoped for just a small moment that she would and that her father would have no choice but to turn the car around and bring her back.

But the thought was selfish and fleeting, because he truly never wanted Mikayla to cry another tear in her life.

Instead he allowed his own tears to come, and they did come fast and fluid as his defeated body gave in to the strange comfort of the cold floor.

...

An hour or two passed and Castle and Kate spent the time in their respective solitary domains.

The sun was beginning to set and everyone was feeling the tiredness set in. The living room was basked in red-orange, the furniture sat in silhouette as Kate came in and switched on the lights, the harsh glare waking her up slightly.

She entered the kitchen and turned on the percolator, leaning her slinky body against the bench.

Footsteps behind her caused her to turn her head. Alexis walked up to her and hugged her. "Hey pumpkin", Kate said to her, not asking if she was OK.

Of course she wasn't.

"Your Grandmother has gone to the city. You wanna eat?"

Alexis shrugged. "I might just go to Max's for dinner. His Mom invited me."

"OK, you might want to just run that by your dad, OK?"

Alexis nodded. "Where is he?"

"Uh, I think he's um..." Kate lost her voice. "I think he's in M-" She bit her shaking lip.

And then he was in front of her. "Oh here-here he is", she stammered in relief at not having to say the little girl's name aloud.

His hair was tousled and his eyes were terribly bloodshot as he sauntered toward the two women. "Did you want something pumpkin?" He asked his daughter quietly.

"I just wanted to ask you if I could go to Max's house for dinner... I've been invited", Alexis grimaced slightly, not really wanting to leave her Dad while he was in this emotionally damaged state.

Castle grabbed his daughter's shoulders, offering her a small smile. "You don't need to ask me Alexis. As long as you come back to us safe and well, you're free to go anywhere you want."

Alexis stilled at her father's nonchalance but Kate's reassuring smile set her at ease. "Goodnight guys, I love you both."

"Night Lex", Kate walked her out.

Alexis looked at her stepmother tentatively as they stood in the alcove of the door. "Just...keep an eye on him OK? I still worry about him since..."

"I know. Don't worry hunny, I know the signs. I'll be on the lookout."

"I love you Mom", Alexis told her sincerely.

"I love you too Alexis", Kate hugged the girl before Alexis walked toward the elevator.

Kate closed the door to the loft and moved back into the kitchen.

Castle still stood there, Kate was trying to determine whether he hadn't wanted to move or simply couldn't move, when he spoke.

"You making coffee?"

Kate blinked. "Yeah, I uh... I guess I decided I needed a bit of hit."

Castle raised his head.

Kate walked up to him and gave his upper arm a gentle squeeze "Why don't I make you one, hmm?"

He gave her a brief smile before leaning forward to kiss her on the forehead. "Sounds good."

"Kay, you just go relax and I'll bring it to you", she told him softly.

Castle went into the living room as Kate mulled about in the kitchen, preparing the coffee. When the smell of freshly roasted java floated through the loft, Kate moved into the living room. carrying two steaming cups full of coffee.

They sat on opposite sides of the couch, huddled into the corners, as far away from each other as they could be.

They weren't angry at one another really, rather they were both angry at themselves, but then they were so much a part of one another that they did hold some resentment toward each other.

Each sipped on the hot liquid, in a kind of stony silence.

"You haven't written in a while. How about starting a new book?" Kate murmured into the open air.

Castle sighed deeply. "What would I write about?"

Kate shrugged. "I don't know, you're the author aren't you?"

"So are you going to go back to work?" Castle asked her, avoiding any more talk of him writing. How could he be at all creative when he had no inspiration?

"I don't know. I guess I should, that way I can save my leave in case we ever actually get pregnant."

"Yeah I've been thinking about that..." Caste spoke slowly.

After a moment of silence, Kate made some small noise of prompting.

"I thought maybe I could go down to the clinic and... "deposit" my um... well, you know."

"What for?" Kate asked tersely.

"We could find... someone... a woman willing to", Castle swallowed. "We've got plenty of money and there are women out there who-"

"Who what?" Kate stood up from the couch angrily. "You want to do the surrogacy thing? You want some woman to carry our baby?"

Castle sunk into the cushions, a little bit intimidated by her. "It's-it's just one idea."

"No Rick, no! Putting your sperm into another woman? It would be like you having sex with her."

"But it wouldn't-"

"Yes! It would... it would to me."

Castle's soul shattered as he took in the devastated and distraught look on his fiance's face.

He reached out for her hand, taking it in his own. "I'm sorry", he told her softly.

Kate closed her eyes and turned into him. He pulled her down gently and took her into his warm embrace. "I would never do anything you weren't a hundred per cent sure about, and I would never want you to feel cheated on, because Kate..." he lifted her chin with his finger. "You are the only woman I ever want to share any part of myself with...I love you so much."

Kate shook her head slowly. "But I'm broken."

Castle looked at her tenderly. "Not to me. To me, you are the epitome of perfection."

"But I don't inspire you enough to write about me anymore", Kate pouted cutely.

Castle let himself smile a little at that. "I'd just rather live life with you than report on it."

Kate laid her head on her fiance's chest and breathed in his intoxicating scent. "I just feel so much more empty without her."

Castle stroked her back slowly. "I know, I do too."

"Let's just take a break from all this baby stuff for a while, OK? At least until after the wedding", Kate suggested.

"Yeah, sure... give us more time to plan our big day."

Kate turned to look into his eyes. "I thought you didn't want any part of the planning?"

He smiled sadly, shrugging. "I need something to occupy my mind."

Kate nodded. "OK, in that case... I need to go dress shopping tomorrow with Alexis, get her a maid of honor dress."

Castle looked at her in surprise. "I thought Lanie was supposed to be your maid of honor."

Kate smiled stiffly. "I love Lanie a lot, she's been a wonderful and faithful friend, but Alexis... the things we've been through together, it's like our souls and our spirits have become one."

Castle's eyes sparkled with a smile as he listened to his fiance gush over his daughter.

"And I know she's not my blood, but we're connected in a ways that defy the laws of biology."

Castle brought a hand up to stroke her hair. "Do you even know how much I love you for the way you love my daughter?"

""Can't be any more than how much I love you", Kate told him with her bedroom eyes.

Castle licked his lips. "God you're gorgeous."

Their eyes locked and Kate brought her fingers to brush his lips gently, slinging her other arm around his neck.

Castle stood up, still holding her in his arms, her long luscious legs dangling over the crook in his arm as he carried her to their bedroom.

Without words, he lay her down on the bed and gazed into her glassy eyes.

He leaned over her to kiss her languidly, lovingly.

Their fingers played together above her head as he nibbled on her clavicle, occasionally licking it to elicit that fiery pleasure in her that he loved to see.

She moaned, the sound reverberating against his lips. He skated those soft lips down her throat and licked her chest just above the neckline of her shirt.

She let go of his hands so that he could bring them to undo her buttons, opening each one slowly and with precision.

She shifted beneath him, urging him to move faster. He didn't comply but he did move himself so that he was within kissing distance of her. As he'd predicted, she took the opportunity to reach up with her own lips and run them along his jaw line.

She shimmied out of her shirt once he had undone all of the buttons on it. He ran his hand over one of her bra covered breasts and she sighed.

With hands softer than silk, he ran the straps of her bra down her arms and undid the bra at the back (again, with well practiced precision). He threw the undergarment on the floor somewhere beside them and then brought his mouth to latch on to one of her rosy nipples.

Kate made a noise somewhere between a breath and a squeak as he toyed with it and then moved on to the next one, replacing the first with his middle finger, rubbing soft circles.

She ground into him as, becoming slightly desperate with each careful circle he drew on her body.

He began to work his way down and she whimpered, breathing quickly and impatiently. "Shh", he whispered deviantly into her lower abdomen, running his hands over her.

She bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from making a noise that would surely be heard by the entire borough of Manhattan. He continued his ministrations along her lower stomach and placed a kiss just inside the waist of her jeans.

Just before she could kick him for being too damn slow with his actions, he undid her zipper and pulled her jeans and panties off her long legs in one swift motion.

He went to the foot of the bed and gently massaged her feet, making her almost wish he'd stay there and do that, until she recalled their last night together in the Hamptons and she decided she'd quite like to try and achieve that kind of pleasure again tonight.

He applied pressure, running his smooth palms up and along her sleek legs, underneath her thighs and up to cup her buttocks.

Castle placed soft kisses around her panty line and when she began to squirm against him, he relinquished and thrust his tongue inside her. She made a low gurgling sound in the back of her throat before letting out a long and loud moan.

Her hands fisted in his hair as he continued to thrust inside of her.

Her breaths started to come quicker and her moans grew louder and with one last swipe of his tasting organ, she came on his lips.

He kissed his way back up her body and brought their lips together again, loving the fact that she wasn't turned off by her own taste.

Slowly, she came down from her high and she brought her hand down to his crotch area. Surprisingly, he pushed her hand away.

"Nn-no I'm not in the mood", he muttered, nuzzling into her.

She turned her head to frown at him. "But you just-"

"I just wanted to make you happy, even if for just a moment."

Kate huffed. "Well now I just feel guilty and... selfish."

Castle kissed her on the side of her head. "You are neither. You know that bringing you pleasure brings me pleasure as well."

Kate grumbled something unintelligible and rolled onto her back.

"Tell you what", Castle voice broke whatever sleep she was just about to fall into. "All that work did work up an appetite. If it'll make you feel better, I'll let you buy me dinner."

Kate chuckled. "I'd rather "eat in" but...OK."

The pair lifted themselves off the bed groggily. One was boneless, the other was simply tired. "I guess a change of scenery would be good", Kate agreed as she picked up her clothes from the floor and dressed herself.

"Oh I don't really have much of a problem with the scenery", Castle quipped.

Kate laughed before she could even fathom the fact that she possibly shouldn't be laughing so soon after such a terrible ordeal as the one they'd experienced that day.

Castle seemed to pick up on it as his fiance stopped laughing abruptly and frowned at herself.

He walked toward her, holding out her jacket for her so she could slip her arms into the sleeves. "Hey...We're going to be alright", he told her in a gentle, dulcet tone.

She let herself smile a little bit and nodded at him. "Of course we are. We have each other."

"Yes we do", he smiled in return as he wrapped his arm around her and led her out of his bedroom.

They were nearly at the door when Kate shuffled out of his grasp. "Oh, if I'm going to pay I need my purse...duh."

"I'm obviously letting you free load too much off of me woman", Castle kidded her.

"I know, I'm a total gold digger", Kate countered from their bedroom where she was picking up her purse from the bedside table.

"And yet, I am highly susceptible to your charms. I may even open the door for you my dear", Castle called out to her as he reached behind herself and pulled open the door leading out into the hallway.

Kate was smiling a fully fledged smile when she returned from their bedroom. "And they say chivalry is d-"

Castle looked at her puzzled as she seemed to become frozen in front of him. "Kate?"

Her eyes were fixed on a place just below his knees. He followed her line of vision and turned to see the one thing he'd both hoped to see and not to see.

She was crying and she was alone, but she was whole and alive and by some miracle, she was there.

And she was theirs, once again.

Forever and always.

Their M.J.


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey folks, special chapter this - there is a link to the song that is featured in it, down where the lyrics are. Just type in "dub dub dub dot youtube dot com" first and then take out the bolded slash and you should get the link to it.  
**

**Again, just like "A vision of Miss Kate" which was featured in "The Past Starts Tomorrow", this song was written and performed by moi. As you can see, I spend way too much time investing in this fandom!**

**I hope you enjoy my efforts! :D Let me know what you think.**

**...**

Kate and Castle forgot all about their dinner plans as they escorted the distraught little girl back into the loft.

"M.J sweetie, it's OK hunny, it's OK", Kate tried to soothe her, stroking her back gently.

But Mikayla kept bawling even as Castle and Kate held her together.

"I know M.J, I know you're hurt and confused and angry and upset and you feel betrayed and unloved right now. But you're safe and you are so loved Mikayla… Kate and I, we love you so much and we haven't been able to stop thinking about you since you left", Castle had tears in his eyes, which made Kate cry along with him.

"And we promise you, we are _never_ going to let you go again… not ever", Kate told the little girl emotionally.

"And this time we mean it, because we never want to feel the way we've been feeling since you left ever, ever again", Castle choked.

Kate grabbed the four year old's head with both hands. "I'm so sorry M.J. I'm so sorry that we put your heart up for auction and we let your dad outbid us. We should have fought harder; we never should have let you go."

Mikayla pulled her head away from Kate angrily and signed. "But I love Daddy!"

Kate crumbled. "I know you do and that's why it hurts so much. We let you go to your daddy because we thought it was the best thing for you and he let you down. And I know, even when our parents do bad things, we still love them because they're ours. They're always a part of us no matter what."

"We're sorry you're daddy has hurt you M.J. You don't deserve that, but there's always a reason for everything, OK? There's a reason you've come back to us. We've been given a second chance to love you, to have you forever", Castle said.

Mikayla looked from Kate to Castle and then devastatingly, she shook her head, pulling herself out of their grasp and ran up the hallway to her bedroom.

Kate made a move to chase her but Castle stopped her by wrapping his hand around her arm. "Let her go. She needs some time. This is all so confusing for her…How could he do this to her? We trusted him, that little twerp!"

Kate frowned at him. "Rick", she warned.

"You'll notice he took my money and all of her bedding and new clothes. I don't see him donating it all to goodwill, do you?"

"What if he comes back later?" Kate asked him worriedly.

"Then we fight him tooth and nail in the courts", Castle responded adamantly. "There's no way we're letting him take M.J back, not now after he abandoned her."

Kate felt his anger seething through his words and tone. She felt anger herself, but mostly she was filled with worry and regret, with a little bit of relief that Mikayla was back in their lives.

Kate rubbed his arm gently. "I bet she's hungry but she won't want to go out… I'll make some lasagna."

Castle nodded. "Yeah, I'm hungry too, I'll help you."

Kate nodded and turned to walk into the kitchen, stopping when she stood on something on the floor. She looked down and picked it up, it was an envelope.

"What's this?" She asked Castle.

Castle, who was in the kitchen, already looking for the cheese grater, shrugged. "I don't know… was M.J carrying that when she came in?"

"I don't know", Kate said, opening the envelope. She read a few lines and then gasped. "Rick, Rick come and read this. It's from him, it's from Vincent."

Castle raced around the island of their kitchen and over to Kate, snatching the letter quickly out of her hands and reading it aloud.

"_Dear Mr. Rick and Miss Kate. It has taken me only three hours to realize this, that when I took Mikayla from your home earlier, I was doing it because I needed her with me. Because I love her and I thought that being with her real dad was best for her, but I am sitting here with her and we are at the zoo and I am trying to communicate with her and she is so excited but I can't understand what she's saying. I know now that I lost my right to her long ago and I know that my reasons for taking her from you are selfish. I really only have the money you have given me, I have nothing to offer her but the love in my heart. Giving your child love is important, but it doesn't put food in their bellies or blankets on their beds. You can give her love and fortune, and opportunities that I could only dream of. This is why I have decided to return her to you. I know you will look after my baby in ways that I cannot. Please let her know that her father and her mother will always love her and that I am doing this because of how much I love her. _

_Please take care of my Mikki. I have attached the adoption papers, and signed them where I needed to. Please sign them quickly so Mikayla knows she has a family. I don't want her to feel alone ever again. I am so sorry for the trouble I have caused, but I am so proud of Mikki, she is the best thing I ever did, and giving her to you will be the second best thing I ever did. _

_Although I will never forget you, I promise not to come back looking for Mikayla. I know she is happy, and that makes me happy. Be a better family to her than me and Mia were, that's all I ask. _

_Sincerely, _

_Vincent Marcos." _

Castle had tears running down his shocked face now. He lifted the letter up to reveal the adoption papers that were signed by Vincent, just as he'd said they would be.

He stared at that signature for what seemed like an age, blankly in disbelief that it could possibly be real.

"Oh my god", he heard his fiancé sob beside him. Kate had her hand over her mouth and was trembling. She lifted it slowly and croaked. "She's our daughter."

Castle barreled into Kate, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "We're going to be the best parents ever, OK?"

Kate hummed her response, too overcome to form coherent words.

"That Vincent may be a thieving, cowardly cad but… he did the right thing here. He knows we're the best thing for Mikayla."

Castle leaned down and kissed his fiancé fervently. "We are _so_ going to prove him right."

…

Kate and Castle prepared the dinner of lasagna and while Castle called Martha and Alexis on the telephone, Kate went to Mikayla's bedroom to give her a small plate of the enticingly warm food.

She found Mikayla sitting against the wall of her empty bed. She had the GPS device in her hands and was fixated on it while it tracked the movements of her pet duck.

"How's Gozo doin' sweetie pie?" Kate asked Mikayla with a light smile.

Mikayla looked up, a little startled at Kate's presence, she stared at her and the plate of lasagna she held and then moved her attention back to the screen.

"Are you hungry? I brought you some of your favorite", Kate grinned at her as she sat next to her on the bed.

Mikayla seemed to sink even further into the wall.

Kate's smile faded, as hard as she tried to keep it fixed to her face. "I guess I'll just have to eat this yummy, delicious lasagna all by myself then", she teased as she scooped a piece of Mikayla's dinner up with her fork and pretended to eat it.

Mikayla wasn't moved.

She just sat and stared sadly at the GPS screen.

Kate sighed and laid the plate down on the bed. She pursed her lips, moving back a little on the bed to give Mikayla some space as she spoke to her.

"I know you're hurt sweetheart. I know you thought you could trust your daddy and he let you down a little bit. But Mikayla, he loves you so much and that's why he brought you back. He knows that we can look after you a lot better than he can. He loves you the same amount that we do, and he always will. And it's OK for you to still love him; it's a good thing even… But Rick and I are going to be your parents now. Martha and Alexis and you and me and Rick, we're going to be a family, and that's not going to change. I promise you."

Mikayla looked at her dubiously.

Kate bit her lip. "I know I've said those words a lot. I've made a lot of promises that I haven't been able to keep. But this time I know for certain. It was your daddy's choice and he chose us… That means there's nothing stopping us now. This is it sweetie, it's just us."

Mikayla still wouldn't respond to Kate but she seemed to be mulling over her words in her own head.

Kate smiled sadly, standing from the bed. "I'm just going to leave your dinner here. We um, we don't have any blankets for you so you'll have to sleep somewhere else tonight. I'm sure Alexis would love you to sleep in her room… She's going to be so happy to see you."

Kate thought she saw a little glimmer of excitement flash in Mikayla's eyes at the mention of Alexis.

"Anyway, you can eat this in here and keep a good eye on Gozo at the same time. Hey, why don't we go and see Gozo tomorrow, take some bread down for all the little duckies?"

Mikayla blinked a few times, which was sufficient response for Kate to nod her head and smile. "OK, well. We're out in the living room if you need us."

She walked out of the little girl's room and back into the living area where Castle was setting down their dinner plates on the dining table, about to devour his portion of lasagna.

"How is she?" He asked his fiancé.

Kate shrugged. "She just needs some space right now. She's OK."

At his look of hesitance, she reached up to palm his cheek and whispered. "Don't worry babe, she'll come back to us soon. She loves us, remember? So we just need to give her some time to learn to trust her heart again."

A light seemed to shimmer in Castle's eyes. He leaned forward and kissed Kate hard and then pulled back with a thoughtful expression. "Do you still have your old guitar?"

Kate's brow furrowed at the strange and random question. "Uh, yeah, it's upstairs in the hall closet. Why?"

Castle didn't reply, he just kissed her again and then raced upstairs.

"I thought you were hungry!" Kate called after him.

"Not hungry anymore!" Was his only response.

…

Ten mintues later, while Kate was clearing up the plates and spooning the remainder of the lasagna into a re-heat-able container, Alexis blazed through the door.

"Where is she? Is it true Mom, is it really true? Please tell me it's true!" She flailed as Kate came toward her, trying to calm her down slightly.

"Yes Lex, it's true, M.J is back… for good this time."

Alexis bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet. "Well where is she? Where's Dad? Are they playing together?"

Kate wrapped her hand around Alexis forearm and lead her to the couch. "OK Alexis, I know you're excited about this, so am I. But M.J just needs some time on her own to adjust and to figure this all out. It's all very upsetting for her and confusing. She's only small and she doesn't know who she can trust yet."

"But she knows she can trust us!" Alexis protested.

"She should know that, you're right. I know that's true, you know it's true, but she's only four years old Lex and she needs some time to figure it out, and while she's dong that we have to be nothing but supportive and patient. OK?"

Alexis frowned. "I just want our old family back. The way it was a couple of days ago."

Kate stroked the girl's read hair. "It'll be that way again pumpkin. I promise."

"Can I at least go and see her?" Alexis asked quietly.

Kate smiled at her softly. "Of course you can, you're her big sister… Just don't bombard her, OK?"

"I just have to see her. I need to know it's real", Alexis professed.

Kate pushed her gently. "Go."

Alexis hugged Kate before moving a little more sedately to Mikayla's room.

At that moment, Castle descended the stairs, carrying Kate's guitar.

"You found it then", Kate noted.

"Yeah, I found it", Castle said, with a twinkle in his eye. "Was that Alexis I heard?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah, she's just gone to see M.J. now"

"I'll give them some time", Castle said, pursing his lips together.

Kate narrowed her eyes at him. "Why? What exactly do you have up your sleeve, Mr. Castle?"

Castle simply gave her a bright smile before ascending the stairs again.

…

By the time Martha came home, the woman was in hysterics. "Oh Kate, darling, the damn phone, I-I left in my purse and I didn't receive your message until just a few minutes ago and- oh, please tell me it's true!"

Kate chuckled internally, noting the genetic similarities for dramatics between Martha and her Granddaughter.

"It's true Martha, M.J is back and we're adopting her as soon as we can. Vincent signed the papers so… she's ours."

Martha squealed with delight. "Oh darling, I'm sorry, when I said you should let her go, I was only thinking from the heart, which strangely enough was the wrong thing to do. When I began to consult my brain, I realized how little that man really had to offer Mikayla in comparison to what we have to give. I realized then that I'd made a terrible mistake encouraging you and Richard to let her go."

Kate placed a hand on Martha's shoulder. "Martha, ultimately, it was mine and Rick's decision. We let her go; it was our misgivings about what was best for her that lead to us giving her away. I guess it's a case of seeing clearer through the other side."

"Well we're at this side now and we are staying put!" Martha exclaimed with tears pooling in her eyes.

Kate swallowed as she looked at the vivacious and independently minded older woman for whom she had so much admiration and respect.

"I love you Mother", Kate said to Martha.

Martha stilled at her words and her lip began to tremble. "Di-Did you just…" She stammered.

Kate leaned forward and took Martha's hand. "You've been more of a mother to me than I've had in years. You've been an example, an inspiration. At times, you remind me so much of my Mom, your tenacity, your passion. I never thought I'd find anyone that I could love the way I loved her…" Kate lifted their hands. "I have."

Martha practically squashed Kate as she pulled the detective in for a very Martha-esque, bone crushing hug. "I love you, I love you, I _love_ you", she babbled.

Castle came downstairs and saw the two women locked in their embrace. He walked towards the both of them with a small but hesitant smile. "You two OK?"

Martha chuckled. "Oh yes, just blubbering."

Castle smiled as he realized they were just being emotional women and he leaned over to kiss them both on their heads. "I love you both", he told them.

They both responded with the same statement.

"Hey, where's M.J? Is she still in her room?" He asked.

"I don't know, Alexis is with her though", Kate told him.

"Could you both come with me? There's something I want to share with you all, and especially Mikayla."

Kate glanced at him, looking at her guitar that he was still holding. "Is this going to be one of those moments where you stun everyone with your romantic songs?"

"It's possible", he told her elusively.

She stood and bumped her hip purposefully into his. "Those things are dangerous. You remember what happened last time you wrote and song for someone in this house don't you?"

Castle grinned, recalling the first time they'd made love after he'd written and sung a romantic song to Kate.

"Come on", he urged his mother and fiancé.

They moved to Mikayla's room where they found…nobody.

"Alexis?!" Castle hollered.

"We're up here Dad", Alexis replied from upstairs.

The three of them climbed the stairs and went to Alexis's room where they found Mikayla tucked up in Alexis's bed.

"Oh well it looks like your accommodation is arranged for tonight", Castle smiled gently at Mikayla who just glanced at him tiredly.

"You're looking pretty sleepy on it Miss", Kate said, sitting down at the foot of the bed.

"Well, before you go off to dream land, I have a little lullaby for you. It's a very special lullaby, just for you sweetie", Castle told Mikayla softly.

Mikayla shuffled up a little in the bed and gave her attention to Castle, prompting him to commence his special lullaby that he'd just composed for her.

Picking lightly on the guitar, he sang: /watch?v=ecCGIrlpWlA&feature= **/ **youtu. be

"_I know your life has been hard thus far _

_So many people just don't know who you are _

_But now you have a home _

_If you'd be our own  
_

_Mikayla _

_Little wonder of the world _

_You came to me, my heart unfurled _

_To let you in _

_This cherubim _

_This sweet and smart and special girl _

_And with Mikayla there _

_Right next to me _

_I long to hold her so tight _

_And when she takes my hand  
_

_And smiles at me _

_I know that everything's alright _

_My life was lacking a vital part _

_Something missing inside my heart _

_I never knew _

_That it was you _

_Mikayla _

_You came to me _

_My world turned bright _

_You gave me wings _

_And I took flight _

_And now instead of cries, it's lullabies _

_I kiss your cheek and say goodnight _

_And now the darkened days we knew before _

_Are gone, and so we can play _

_And my life is good and my only hope _

_Is that Mikayla wants to stay _

_Now we're sailing on a ship at sea _

_We are happy girl and we are free _

_And with the wind in our hair _

_We don't have a care _

_Mikayla _

_I'm the Captain and you're my first mate _

_Our crew is Martha and Alexis and Kate _

_We were sinking but now _

_We've got a bailer _

_Now that you're aboard _

_My little sailor _

_I'm sailing home_

_Across the sea _

_Yeah, I'm sailing home _

_Won't you sail with me? _

_Yeah, I'm sailing home _

_Across the sea _

_I'm sailing home _

_Won't you sail with me? _

_My dear little sailor _

_Mikayla"_

There wasn't a dry eye in the room when he'd finished. Not even from Mikayla, who had tears streaming down her angelic little face.

Castle swallowed, waiting nervously to find out whether he'd succeeded in convincing her that she belonged with them, that they loved her more than anything in the world and more than anyone else ever could, or if he'd simply succeeded in upsetting her.

The whole family waited with baited breath until Mikayla clambered out of the bed and shuffled forward quickly, flinging her arms around Castle's neck.

Castle shook with silent sobs as he held his daughter close to him. She was finally home.

They all were.


	21. Chapter 21

**Hey folks, here's the latest installment, I am so sorry it has taken me SUCH a bloody long time, but you know, life happened. **

**Hopefully, this was worth the wait :-)**

**...**

The next morning, Kate and Castle awoke in each other's arms, both were smiling before they even opened their eyes.

Castle shuffled closer to his wife to be, wrapping his warm arms around her. "Good morning my love", he said on a contented sigh.

"Good morning", she grinned back at him, feathering her sleek hand up his taught arm.

He placed an open mouthed kiss to her shoulder and she moaned in approval. "Give me one Rick."

Pulling his attention away from her shoulder, his eyes shone as they locked with hers.

_"O breathe a word or two of fire!_

_Smile, as if those words should burn me,_

_Squeeze as lovers should - O kiss_

_And in thy heart inurn me!_

_O love me truly!"_

Kate giggled. "If you insist." She leaned into him and kissed him deeply, pushing her hips into his as he brought his hand behind her to cup her backside.

The energy in the room seemed to change and they slowly pulled apart from one another and turned to look at the foot of the bed with squinted eyes.

There knelt their little girl, looking at them with an innocent expression.

Kate laughed softly, fluffing her pillow and sitting herself up against it. "Come here baby girl", she said, holding her arms out.

Mikayla bounced over to Kate and cuddled into her, leaning her head on the detective's chest and smiling softly.

Castle cleared his throat. "Where's mine little lady?" He ticked Mikayla's back, causing her to giggle.

Castle's heart lifted as his adoptive daughter turned over and wrapped her little arms around his neck.

"Boy, I love hearing that sound" he said tenderly to her as he placed a kiss to her hair.

"So what are we doing today Daddy?" Kate asked Castle, stroking his hand with her thumb.

Rick grinned at her question. "Well mommy, I think we have some wedding dresses to pick out, do we not?"

"Oh, you're right. That reminds me, M.J sweetie, we have to ask you something important."

Mikayla sat to attention and looked at Kate inquisitively. She shook her hands, palms up, in front of herself, signing _"What?". _

"Well, Rick and I would like to know if you would be our flower girl at our wedding."

_"What's that?" _Mikayla signed.

"A flower girl holds the bride's vale traditionally and then when they get to the alter, she holds the flowers that the bride holds as she walks up the aisle."

"_Who's the bride?" _Mikayla asked.

"I'm the bride sweetie!" Kate chuckled.

"So, what do you say?" Castle asked Mikayla.

_"Can I stand with sister?" _ The little girl signed shyly.

Kate and Rick glanced at each other, both with looks of adulation on their faces. "Yes sweetheart, Alexis is my maid of honor, she'll be standing with you the whole time."

Mikayla smiled then. _"OK, I will do it." _She signed.

Kate and Castle beamed at her and both wrapped their arms around their daughter, cuddling her to them, their hearts swelling with pride, happiness and love.

"Speaking of Alexis, where is your big sister M.J?" Castle asked Mikayla who signed _"Bedroom." _

Kate pursed her lips, looking at Rick for assistance, not quite understanding the sign. "She's asleep?"

Mikayla shook her head and signed again _"Bedroom", _placing extra emphasis on the "room" bit.

"She's in her bedroom", Castle said, and Mikayla put her left finger to her nose and pointed at Castle with her right, signifying he was correct.

Kate and Castle laughed at her action. "You're too cute", Kate said, ruffling the little girl's hair.

"So she's awake then? Alexis I mean." Castle asked Mikayla who shook her hands "yes."

"What do think Kate, should we all go and attack her with a big ole family group hug?" Castle asked Kate with a playful voice.

"What do you think M.J?" Kate asked Mikayla.

The little girl shook her hands enthusiastically.

Kate and Castle smiled widely. "Let's fly pumpkin pie!" Castle exclaimed, picking Mikayla up and running out the bedroom door, leaving Kate to roll her eyes, albeit adoringly and trail behind him.

She caught up with him about 3/4 the way up the stairs and Castle shushed the two ladies. "On the count of three. Ready? One, two three-"

He opened the door and yelled "Attaaaack-ahhhh" His gallant war cry turned into a cry of shock as he found his daughter in her bed, cozied up to her boyfriend Max.

They were very close to one another. Too close. Much too close.

"Dad!" She screamed.

"Oh my god!" Castle yelped, backing out the door, dragging Mikayla with him, covering the four year old's eyes with his hand.

He slammed the door and looked at his fiance with wide eyes. "When in the hell did he get here?!"

Kate recoiled. "I don't know, I've been in bed with you all night."

"Alexis, you-" Castle closed his eyes and grimaced. "You just finish what you're- oh no, I can't say it, Kate, I can't-" he stared at Kate pleadingly.

Kate cleared her throat. "Ah, Alexis hunny, when you and Max are done, could you please come downstairs and have a talk with us... both of you."

"Don't worry Kate, we're uh, we're definitely done", Max's voice replied, sounding annoyed and disappointed.

Kate and Castle sneaked away, trying to be as cool as possible. They could hear their older daughter apologizing to her boyfriend and his reassuring words of forgiveness.

...

Obviously Kate and Castle had well and truly killed the mood with their abrupt intrusion because only five minutes later, Max and Alexis came downstairs.

"Right. Answers. Now", Castle's tone was curt and to the point.

"What do you want to know? We weren't doing anything...wrong", Alexis swallowed, her teeth were gritted with embarrassment and frustration.

"Firstly... was Max here when Mikayla was in the room with you?" Her father asked her.

"What?! No, no of course not", Alexis squealed at him.

"Alright, alright", Castle held out his hands to calm her. "So when did he get here then?"

Alexis sighed. "When I woke up, I txt him and he came over. I sent Mikayla down to your guys room and then he txt me to say he was at the door and I let him in."

"Geez Alexis, you're a real shocker, you know that", Castle shook his head.

"We don't mean to disrespect you Mr. Castle and we most definitely don't mean to break any rules you might have set for... this kind of thing happening under your roof."

"Well Max. my daughter hasn't had the indiscretions to warrant it, which can only mean that the common denominator here is you."

"Rick", Kate warned him with a stern voice.

"Alright, alright, alright... let's just be very clear, OK? I'm going to lay down some rules right here, right now. Rule number one: No... hanky panky while Mikayla is within ear or eyeshot... or me for that matter", Castle shuddered. "Rule number two: As long as you are respectful and both very certain and very happy and VERY safe, you may do whatever you like with each other... alright, that's it and please can we never talk about this again?!" Castle finished hastily, turning away and looking ready to be sick.

"Deal... Thanks Daddy", Alexis smiled, taking Max's hand in her own.

"Now, today is a busy day and as soon as your Grandmother wakes up, you four ladies will be going dress shopping. Unless you want to tag along, you might want to head home Max."

"Rick! Show a little more courteousness. Max, join us for breakfast, please", Kate requested of the young man.

"I'd like that, thank you Detective-"

"Kate", Kate gave him a faux stern look and then winked at him with a broad smile.

"Your Mom and Dad are quite different from each other aren't they?" Max whispered in Alexis's ear.

The red head shrugged, watching both of her parents with fondness. "Yeah well, they say yin needs yang."

...

When Martha awoke and came downstairs, she kissed everyone on the cheek (including Max) and laughed girlishly when Castle told her of their mortifying early morning surprise.

Max left soon after, kissing Alexis goodbye and telling her something about "continuing" later on that night.

The girl bit her lip and blushed, going to help get her little sister ready.

When everyone was prepared for their day and Kate had sent Lanie a txt to tell her they were on their way to the bridal shop and they'd meet her there soon, the famous five left the loft and walked the five blocks to the shop.

"Hey girl, there you are!" Lanie squeaked, crushing Kate in a hug.

"Dr. Parish", Kate chuckled, pulling back from her best friend.

"Girl, you have got to fill me in on the deets. Four weeks ago Javi says you're going on leave and then you're fostering a little girl and now I hear you're adopting! It's crazy, and I know nothing about it... your best friend."

"I'm sorry Lanie, Rick and I have just wanted to give Mikayla a quiet and comfortable home without any interruptions... but, it is definitely time I introduced you to her. M.J..." Kate knelt down to the pavement and wrapped her arms around Mikayla's small waist. "This is my best friend Lanie, she's very smart and very funny. She's a doctor."

"Hey sweetie, it's so nice to meet you", Lanie smiled, bending down to shake the little girl's hand.

"She's such a smart little girl, I think she could even be a doctor if she wanted to be... tell Dr. Parish what you did last week at the hospital, M.J."

Mikayla grinned with pride as she held up her right pinky "I", she made a "v" with her right index and middle fingers, touching them to the back of her left hand "save", she extended her hands and then brought them in "little", finally she grazed her cheek with her thumb "girl".

Lanie raised her eyebrows. "Is she signing? I think I got the word small or little somewhere in the middle there but that's about it."

"She was telling you that she saved a little girl... see "I. Save. Little. Girl." Kate signed the words as she spoke them.

Lanie's stared at her best friend with tears in her eyes. "Castle said this little girl was changing your lives, but Kate, she_ really_ is changing your life."

Kate smiled proudly, placing a loving hand on Mikayla's shoulder. "I know she is."

Castle came up behind the three of them and gave Lanie a quick hug hello. "OK ladies, I will see you all in a couple of hours."

"Oh babe, give us three at least", Kate instructed him.

Castle sighed dramatically. "Three hours? Women!"

Kate laughed. "It's going to take you that long to get through the cue at the adoption agency anyway."

"Oh thanks, that comforts me a great deal", Castle replied monotonically.

Kate laughed again and kissed him.

When they pulled apart he knelt down and smiled at Mikayla. "OK baby girl, I'm about to go make it official. When I come back, you'll be ours, are you still good with that?"

Mikayla shook her arms enthusiastically.

Castle beamed widely at his soon to be official daughter. "I love you."

She signed "I love you", back to him and he made a small sound of contentment. "Hey, after all this boring dress shopping, why don't we go pay a visit to Gozo?" He suggested excitedly.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Rick, now she's only going to be thinking about is that duck."

"No, I was giving her incentive, this way she'll be a perfect little angel while you're all going through the tedious task of trying on hundreds of dresses... any one of which you will only be wearing for a few hours... maybe less if I can do anything about it", he added lowly, just for Kate's ears.

She blushed but stomped her foot. "Incentive for something you just told her quite explicitly was "boring"... that's real helpful Rick."

"Aw, would you look at you two arguing like real live parents!" Lanie gushed from behind them.

"You're not going to be naughty or impatient are you sweetheart? If there's one trait I hope I don't pass on, it's that one", Castle said, kneeling down in front of Mikayla.

"Well it's one of your stand-outs", Kate said out of the corner of her mouth, mainly for Lanie's benefit.

"You're going to be a little angel, just as you always are, aren't you M.J?" Castle questioned her, giving her a little kiss on her cheek. He pulled back and made a noise of delight. "Mm, and such a tasty little angel you are!" He placed sloppy kisses all over her face and she giggled wildly.

"OK, we'll see you later hunny, and Rick... I just want to say thank you", Kate told him sincerely as he rose to her.

"For what?"

"For lending me your credit card so that I can go to this ridiculously expensive, highly exclusive bridal store. For giving me free reign to kidnap your daughter and trusting me enough to do this all on my own."

Castle caressed her face gently with his hand. "Kate... let's get something straight. _Ou_r credit card, _our_ daughter, _our_ wedding..." he raised his other hand to her face so that he was holding it. "My wife."

"I love you", Kate said against his lips as he kissed her. "I love you too."

They could hear Lanie behind them making noises of glee.

Both chuckled as they kissed each other passionately and Lanie wolf whistled.

"Oh guys, PDA much?" They heard Alexis's indignant voice.

They laughed, pulling apart. Castle went over to his daughter and mother and kissed them both on the cheek.

"Alright ladies, don't miss me too much", he said as he waved goodbye.

Lanie leaned into Kate. "Ha! Over sixty different styles from Justin Alexander and free champagne? Oh yeah Castle, we'll try."

...

The women were all having a very good time as the store manager made them feel like princesses and complimented them at every occasion that presented itself. Their hair, their shoes, their skin, everything was perfect to the shop owner, and she would find them the perfect dresses, after all, these women were the best, she assured them all and they deserved the best dresses in the store... AKA, the most expensive.

Well, the woman _was_ working on commission.

Kate browsed some wedding dresses, shuffling quickly through the racks, not needing much time to fixate on most of them. She had the distinct feeling she'd know her dress the moment she saw it.

"Well darling, what do we think of this?" Martha asked her as she returned from the dressing room.

She was wearing a deep blue ruffle bottom Labelle dress that made her look incredible. "Oh, Martha, you look..." Kate breathed as a tear slid down her face. When Castle had proposed to her, she started fantasizing about what her mom would have looked like if she'd still been around.

This was it.

Martha walked toward the young detective, looking very emotional herself. She produced a tissue and dabbed Kate's cheek with it. "Come now darling, we can't have you looking all puffy when we're in a room with so many mirrors."

Kate choked out a laugh.

Martha took her hands in her own and stroked them tenderly. "Richard is so lucky to have found you Kate."

Kate made a small noise, somewhere between a snort and a chuckle. "He just found one puffy, emotional woman... I found a whole family."

They heard shuffling behind them, followed by the soft voice of Alexis.

"Mom?"

Kate turned around to see Lanie, Alexis and Mikayla watching her in anticipation, hoping for approval.

All three ladies looked beautiful in their lilac halter neck chiffon bridesmaid dresses with white satin sashes around the middle.

"Wow", Kate shook her head. "You all look so beautiful. Lanie, my gosh if Esposito's jaw does not drop to the floor when he sees you in this, somebody had better check his pulse."

The M.E. laughed, smoothing down the sides of the dress that accentuated all of her best assets and complimented her curvaceous body.

"M.J, you are just so darling in this dress, everyone is going to be so envious when they see that I have the most beautiful daughter in the world", Kate smiled at Mikayla as she grinned and swayed from side to side happily.

Kate's throat caught when she took in Alexis. "Speaking of beautiful daughters..."

Alexis beamed shyly. "It looks good?"

"Never has "good" been so inadequate Alexis. You are so beautiful", Kate let another tear slip from her eye as she stepped toward the teenager and toyed with the gold and garnet necklace around her neck. The family heirloom she'd given Alexis three months previously.

The one Johanna had given to Kate on her eighteenth birthday. The necklace that solidified Kate and Alexis's remarkable bond.

Alexis cried too. "I love you Mom."

The held one another for a moment until the store manager rushed over to them and reminded them they hadn't purchased the dresses yet and any damage done to them would incur costs.

Kate assured the woman that they would most definitely be buying these particular dresses and the woman backed off a bit, still keeping an eye on the expensive gowns.

"So now all that's left is of course the most important one", Lanie grinned, practically unable to keep still for all the excitement.

"We've just got this one in, it's not overly popular, but then again not everyone could pull it off like you could", the store manager brought a dress to Kate's attention, working hard to earn her money.

Kate gasped when she saw it. It was a strapless Ivory, Justin Alexander with a tube top pleated waist, jewel encrusted bust and an opaque soft white, delicate long flowing skirt.

"Oh Kate", Lanie cooed, practically drooling over the dress.

"It's dresses like these that make me wish I'd gotten married", Martha gawked at the stunning bridal garment.

"You so have to try that on Mom", Alexis begged her.

Kate turned to Mikayla. "What about you little princess, do you think this could be the one?"

The little girl, who had only two months ago been living on the streets, shook her arms slowly in the air, a little dumbfounded at the pure decadence this place offered.

Kate nodded. "I agree". She turned her attention back to the dress and the only thing she could think was. "Where have you been all my life?"

...

The women left the bridal shop, all buzzing from the exhilaration of finding their perfect dresses and also perhaps from the champagne.

Castle was standing outside the store... well actually, standing wasn't really what he was doing, he was pacing, nervously pacing it seemed.

"Hey honey, we're all done. Are-are you OK?" Kate asked him as she noticed the fear that seemed to be etched into his face. "Was there a problem at the adoption agency?" She asked in a sudden panic.

"No! No", he reassured her. "No, there's no problem sweetheart, there's absolutely no problem", he smiled anxiously.

"OK, good", Kate relaxed.

"Well actually, there is one problem", Castle corrected himself.

The worry returned to Kate's face. "What Rick, what is it?"

"When I was filling out the paper work at the adoption agency, the form had all these questions on it about my "spouse" and it occurred to me that we're getting married in two weeks, you're going to be my wife, and then right below those questions it asked about our financial status and I ticked the highest bracket and then that made me realize that I'm very rich."

Kate's brow furrowed. "You're seriously only just realizing these two things now?"

"That wasn't the extent of the realizations Kate, what I realized in one very quick moment was that I had all this money and yet there was still a question that I have yet to ask you properly."

Kate frowned. "You want me to sign a pre-nup don't you?"

Castle's eyes widened. "No! God, no Kate, no." Quickly, before he could screw this up further, he reached into his back jeans pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. "I want you to wear my ring."

Kate gasped as he opened the box, revealing the shiniest, most exquisite diamond ring she had ever laid eyes on.

"What I realized was that I never bought you a ring. Here I am with all this money and I never even got you a cheap knock off, even though I could afford a ring more expensive than most people's houses... By the way, this ring is nearer to the latter end of that spectrum."

"I can see that", Kate wheezed, her eyes still fixated on the glistening rock.

"So, Kate, my um, knife wound injury kind of prevented me from getting down on one knee the last time I did this as well so..." Castle dropped to his knee, causing the four grown women to all make small noises, ranging from sighs to shrieks of delight.

"I'd like to propose to you, and because I've already quoted Keats once today, I won't be using him again."

Kate's voice was thick with emotion. "OK, who're you going to give me this time Rick?"

Castle's eyes twinkled as he gazed up at her. "This time I thought I'd go out on a limb and come up with something of my own... I know, a writer, writing his own proposal... patently unheard of!"

Kate's chuckle turned into a gurgle deep in her throat when he took her hand in his own and began to speak to her.

"When we get married two weeks from today, will you do a few things for me Kate? Will you wear that dress that you've just purchased at what I'm sure was an awful cost, for at least three hours before you store it away in the back of our closet forever? Will you wear it to the church and arrive there so jittery and full of nerves, but not because you're scared about spending the rest of your life with me but just because you're so anxious for it to begin? Will you walk to me up the aisle of the church and say "I do" when the priest asks you to and will you look into my eyes and kiss me, once he allows it? Will you let me dance a while in your arms, listen to my uncle Ted toast us and tell some of his most inappropriate jokes and stories about me and still love me after you hear them? Will you let me gush over you in front of all our friends and family and cry and laugh at all the right bits? Will you let me feed you our wedding cake and not complain if some of it "accidently" falls into your cleavage? And after you've had the most important and amazing day of your life, will you come home with me and spend our first night as a married couple in my arms? And then in the morning, when we wake up, will you let me take some time to just look at you with the realization that you're my wife and that I'm the luckiest man in the world? And then will you let me do that again every day for how ever long I'm privileged enough to spend my life with you?"

All four women were metaphorical water work factories at this point, but Kate's tears could barely be seen through the shine of her dazzling smile.

She nodded, not being able to get the words out at first. In the end, she managed just one.

"Always."

...


	22. Chapter 22

**Hello all my stunning, amazing absolutely fabulous readers. I hope you're all having a wonderful night/morning/evening/afternoon and I hope this little chapter makes it even better :D It is 5:20pm here in New Zealand and the sun is shining! Woohoo, Summer is ON ITS WAY BABY! **

**I am so appreciating all the favorites and story alert subs and of course, the comments. They're all just so special to me, so thank you! **

**By the way, Penny Johnson Gerald has been posting some amazeballs tweets. One yesterday read _"You will be in Caskett bliss"_ ... (Drops DEAD!)**

**So, anyway, here it is, the brand new chapter. Kate and Castle and engaged and she now has the ring to prove it!**

**Enjoy! **

**...**

The Castle/Beckett/Rogers/Parish group walked the two blocks to Central park and Mikayla rushed over to the pond where her little duck Gozo was paddling around happily. Castle helped Mikayla find Gozo among all the other ducks, showing her its location on the GPS device and then pointing to the duck itself.

Mikayla bounced up and down excitedly on her little heels when she looked at it and then turned to Castle, waiting expectantly for the bag of breadcrumbs he had for her to give to her ducky.

She threw them in the air, most of them landing on the rocks in front of the pond and the adults all chuckled at the way she tried so hard to throw it so far.

Castle picked his new daughter up into his arms and whispered to her to try again to throw the bread. She did, and with the extra height, she managed to chuck it in the water this time. Everyone cheered and Mikayla grinned from ear to ear.

When the bag of breadcrumbs was empty, Mikayla waved goodbye to Gozo and took Castle's hand, walking with the rest of the group over to the nearest playground.

Alexis volunteered to go into the big slides with her and Mikayla was thrilled. "Race you to the slide!" Alexis hollered out to her little sister and Mikayla took off running, her little bottom jiggling as she moved, Alexis tailing behind her.

Kate and Castle smiled at one another, the look of proud parentage shone through. "You two are so damn lucky", Lanie's sigh broke their contented moment.

Kate bowed her head, smiling. "I know."

The M.E sighed again. "I just wish I knew where Javi's head was at. One minute he says he loves me and wants to spend his life with me and then he's staring at some girl's booty, drooling all over it."

Kate touched her friend on the shoulder. "Oh Lanie, that's just a guy thing. Castle stares at women's breasts all the time... it's genetic. We have a rule, he may look but he can not touch. And as long as I'm the one he comes home to at the end of the day...I'm fine with that."

Lanie looked dubious, so Kate continued. "Look, Javi loves you, right?"

"Yeah", Lanie pouted.

"And do you trust him? Do you think he's a faithful and dependable guy?"

"I know he is, he's one of the most dependable guys there is... he's a detective, you don't get much more honorable than that", Lanie gave Kate a half smirk.

Kate nodded with a smile. "OK then, just be patient Lanie, the time will come, and when it does, it'll be magical."

Lanie shook her head with a snort. "Girl, you are living in a fairy tale, not everyone's romances are straight out of story books like yours and Castle's."

Kate chuckled, "Ours is pretty special, but I guess I'm biased-"

Lanie's phone rang. "Ooh, it's Javi."

"See? He's calling you in the middle of the day, just to say hello...that's love hunny."

Lanie smiled at her friend's words before answering the phone. "Hey baby... Kate and I were just talking about you... of course good things", Lanie giggled.

Esposito must have asked Lanie about her dress because she answered back with. "Oh yeah, I bought the most expensive one in the shop... your lady deserves the best, does she not?" Lanie then laughed. "I'm just kidding baby, don't have a coronary on me."

Kate laughed, listening in to her conversation.

"Oh really? Aw that's so sweet, yeah, yeah I'll tell Kate and Castle. OK hunny, OK, bye."

Lanie pressed the end call button and turned to her friend. "Ryan and Jenny have invited us to their place for dinner tonight, you guys be able to make it?"

"Oh yeah, that sounds great... hun?" Kate leaned into Rick. "You want to go to Ryan and Jenny's tonight, they've invited all of us for dinner?"

Castle smiled broadly. "Yeah. that would be awesome."

"They said, they're kind of throwing a one year anniversary party, and I guess a last chance hurrah before the baby arrives", Lanie told the pair of them.

"Sounds like fun", Castle beamed, his eyes squinting in the sun.

"Well, I had better go and get some things done, I'll see y'all tonight, right?" Lanie asked the couple.

Kate and Castle nodded together. "Yeah, we'll see you tonight. Thank you Lanie", Kate stood up and hugged her best friend.

"Anytime sweetie... well, actually, no, let's just buy wedding dresses for you this once, OK?"

Castle and Kate laughed, saying goodbye to Lanie as she left their side.

Kate toyed with the gigantic diamond that now garnished her left ring finger. She gazed at it with a look of longing, she heard her fiance chuckle beside her.

He was looking at her with dopey, sparkling eyes. "You know it's yours right? You look like one of those desperate women without a man who stare longingly into jewelry shops."

"Shut up", Kate elbowed him lightly. "Of course I know it's mine, and I'm never, ever letting it off my finger."

"Well I'm rather glad to hear that", Castle grinned, leaning towards her. Kate's gazed was fixed on her engagement ring and when she looked up she got a surprise to see him so close but she just tilted her head upward a little and allowed his mouth to consume.

She sighed happily as they pulled apart and lay her head on his shoulder. "We do have everything sorted right? I keep going through all the things in my head... flowers, dresses, tuxes, car, church, table arrangements, guest list, priest... did I say flowers?"

Castle chuckled against her hair. "Twice now."

Kate groaned. "Why didn't we just elope?"

"I would have been completely for that idea. Take Alexis and just run off to some little island somewhere and spend the rest of our days living Swiss family Robinson style."

Kate stared at him. "Babe, you want to live in a tree hut on a deserted island?"

"Well, being on a deserted island with you would have its upsides. I'd have the opportunity to really make you scream then", Castle told her with a darkened tone and even darker eyes.

Kate blushed. "Well, if we had eloped we'd never have met our daughter now would we?"

"That's true. And I guess the other one would have found ways to kill the mood most of the time anyway... at least there would be no "Max" on this island of ours."

"Unless he was a stoaway", Kate said.

"Why do you have to ruin my life of paradise fantasy with your suggestions?" He moaned.

Kate smirked at him wickedly. "You want paradise? I'll show you paradise tonight Father Robinson", she whispered seductively into his ear.

"Really? You crushed on the Dad?" Castle laughed.

Kate looked indignant. "I'll have you know that all through my senior year of high school, my life's one ambition was to meet John Mills and marry him. That voice of his filled my dreams sooo many nights. Little did it occur to me that by that stage he was actually ninety-one."

Castle laughed again, holding his fiance tight to him as she pouted. He leaned into her ear and whispered just as seductively as she had to him. _"You said someday, if you could have your wish, you'd sleep each night so you could see the stars." _He quoted the romantic line from the film.

Kate gasped against him quietly, turning toward him with parted lips. "_Never_ has a place felt so way too public...God, Rick. Just what are you trying to do to me?"

His answer was swift. "I can't build you a house among the treetops, but I can help you see stars."

Kate closed her eyes at the sound of his dulcet tone. "I know you can."

"Well, those two girls are simply having a ball!" Martha plopped down next to them, causing Kate to bounce back in surprise.

Martha eyed the two of them up. "What are you two little lovebirds talking about?"

Castle cleared his throat. "Uh, well Jenny and Kevin have invited us to their home tonight for a little anniversary party, you're invited too Mother."

"Oh darling, that sounds marvelous but Gregory and I are booked on a little river boat cruise this evening."

"Mr. Davenport again huh? The exchange rate seems to have been turned up a notch on your relationship", Castle smirked at his mother who tilted her head away from him with a coy look.

"Well I guess it's just us and the girls then, my love", Castle turned to Kate.

"Well, Alexis may have other plans too, you should ask her", Kate suggested.

Castle stood up and made an indignant noise, muttering something Kate didn't quite catch about a "greasy-mitt teenager", which she assumed was his new pet name for Max.

Martha shifted closer to Kate and grinned at her before pulling the young detective's left hand into her own. "Now that's a ring!" She exclaimed. "And that proposal... I had no idea Richard had it in him. It sure was lovely."

"Yeah it was", Kate beamed. "Thank you Mother."

"For what?" Martha asked with interest.

Kate shrugged, her smile never leaving her face. "For just...creating your son. For bringing him into the world... into my world."

Martha chuckled lightly and grabbed her soon to be daughter in law. Holding her tightly. "Oh darling, you are so very welcome."

"Hey, so Alexis said she's going to join us", Rick panted after bounding back to the two women from the swings.

"Oh cool, Ryan gets on really well with Alexis, he'll be happy to see her", Kate squinted up at him, shielding her eyes from the sunlight.

"Yeah, little does Alexis know he's probably going to spend the whole night asking her how exactly she turned out to be the model child she is, since he knows it certainly was no thanks to me", Castle chuckled.

"Yeah well, can you blame him? He's going to be a father, he just wants to be as informed as possible", Kate replied.

With this thought in her mind, Kate spoke again. "Hey Rick, on the way home, do you mind if we take a trip out to see Dad? It's been a while and I just realized, he doesn't even know about M.J."

"Oh wow, you're right. Of course we can go see him, M.J needs to know her grandfather."

Kate bit her lip. "Wow, he's going to be so taken aback... he's not going to believe that he's a grandfather."

"Yeah well, he's only just turned sixty, he's got a lot of great years in him left to spend with his grand daughter."

Kate smiled. "Aw Rick, with the way Alexis looks at Max, you'll probably have your own grandkids younger than Dad has."

Castle's face turned whiter than a sheet, and Kate laughed at him.

"You do realize that would make you a Grandma before you're forty", he told Kate plainly.

Her laughing ceased instantly.

...

The famous five knocked on the door of Jim Beckett's apartment. It took around ten seconds for him to answer and when he did, he looked elated, and not just at the sight of seeing his daughter.

"Hey Dad", Kate smiled, reaching out to hug him tightly.

"Katie, this is a surprise... a nice surprise", Jim smiled in return, squeezing her with more vigor than Kate could ever remember him doing.

When father and daughter broke apart, Kate peered around his door frame and noticed that a petite, blonde woman well-presented, though weathered by time and life, was sitting on his couch.

She glanced at her father and knew she'd found the reason for the extra bounce in his step.

After Jim had been reunited with each of the four people he'd already meet, Kate smiled at him anxiously and lifted Mikayla into her arms. "Dad, I'd like to introduce you to Mikayla Johanna Castle... our daughter."

Jim's jaw dropped as he took in the little girl. "Katie", he said breathlessly.

"We just finalized the adoption today", Kate beamed, nuzzling her nose affectionately against Mikayla's forehead.

Jim's eyes watered as he said a light "hello" to Mikayla and Kate told introduced Jim to Mikayla as "your grandpa."

"Her eyes", Jim croaked, to which Kate responded with a nod and a small smile. "I know", Mikayla's deep chocolate eyes were another thing that reminded them of Johanna.

Jim shook his head out of his reverie, inviting them all in.

"Well aren't you going to introduce us to your lovely woman?" Martha's eyes flickered toward the mystery blonde woman.

"Mother!" Castle chastised her forwardness.

Jim spun around and held out his arm, the lady stood and walked over to where Jim and the famous five were standing.

"I'm sorry, everybody, this is Rebecca", Jim introduced the woman.

'Rebecca' gave them all a genuine smile before speaking directly to Kate. "You must be Katie, I've heard so much about you. It's so wonderful to meet you."

"Yeah, same here", Kate replied with a sort of crooked smile. The young detective kept eyeing up her father who was looking a little sheepish as he tried to hide his happiness.

"So, how did you two meet?" Martha asked Jim jovially, making Castle growl at her again.

Jim chuckled. "It's fine Rick. Rebecca and I met at a social group I joined a couple of months back, for widows and widowers. Rebecca lost her husband Brian four years ago to brain cancer."

"Oh, I'm so sorry", Kate offered.

"Thank you, it was a hard time, battling through the chemo and then having the illness win in the end", Rebecca said sadly. "After talking with Jim about his life, I actually discovered that he and Brian were both alumni of the same year back at Yale."

"Oh wow, that's an amazing coincidence", Kate smiled.

"As soon as she described him I had an instant flashback to a guy who used to go around quoting Copernicus", Jim laughed, and Rebecca laughed right along with him. "And I said, yep, that would have been Brian. He was an astronomy professor at NYU."

The group fell into a relaxed style of conversation. Jim held Mikayla on his lap and watched transfixed as she smiled at him. He also watched his daughter with pride as she gushed over the four year old and translated a few words of sign language that Mikayla was offering to her Grandfather.

Before the group left, Mikayla gave both Jim and Rebecca a hug goodbye.

"It was such a pleasure to meet you Kate", Rebecca told her sincerely.

"The pleasure was all mine Rebecca, I hope I'll see you soon", Kate smiled genuinely.

"I'm sure you will", Rebecca looked in the direction of Jim, her eyes glistening with a yet unspoken affection. An affection that Kate clearly picked up on.

Jim walked the famous five to the door where Kate pecked him on the cheek.

"Dad, bring Rebecca to the wedding", she told him with a lightly authoritative tone.

Jim's mouth opened and closed dumbly for a moment before he smiled and nodded. "She would love that, thanks Katie."

"I'm so proud of you Dad", she told him with a enigmatic smile.

Jim sniffed back a tear and said "Likewise kid."

...

The famous five went home and got dressed up for their dinner at Ryan and Jenny's. Martha left the loft soon after to meet Mr. Davenport at the docks where their romantic boat cruise would be departing from.

Kate and Castle were in their bedroom getting themselves ready. Kate laughed at her fiance's tie that was very askew. "Come here", she instructed him. She fixed his tie for him and he thanked her with a kiss. She moaned happily into his mouth. "Are you sure you want to go?" She asked him deridingly.

He sighed, flopping against her. "We should probably make an appearance for the sappy couple."

Kate laughed. "However sappy they are, you know we're going to be ten times worse."

Castle smiled, kissing her once more. "I look forward to that."

...

Kate, Castle and their two daughters arrived at Ryan and Jenny's place an hour later. Mikayla was carrying a bottle of champagne as she'd asked to have the important job of presenting it to their hosts.

Ryan opened the door and greeted them all cheerfully. He stooped down to where Mikayla was and hugged her. "Starting her young?" He grinned cheekily, looking up at Kate and Castle as she gave him the champagne.

"Don't be silly Uncle Kevin, that's a grown up drink, right M.J?"

Mikayla nodded and Kevin looked at her adoringly. "Oh man. she's so cute. Gosh I hope ours is as cute as her."

"I just hope he or she comes out with a little Irish accent", Castle joked.

Ryan shook his head. "Castle, you are ridiculous...I love you man", Ryan grappled Castle into a bear hug and Kate laughed and her fiance's wide-eyed expression.

"I think I should maybe take this bottle off of you", Castle told him teasingly. Ryan just laughed and instructed them to mingle as he disappeared into the crowd.

"Geez, is that guy on happy pills or what?" Castle asked Kate with a high pitched voice.

"Aw he's just in love", Kate told him with a smile from ear to ear.

"Yeah well, he can just join my club", Castle told her softly, leaning over to kiss her on the cheek. Kate blushed.

"You guys are so way too embarrassing right now. M.J, do you want to come and dance with me?" Alexis voiced.

Mikayla shook her hands and then took her sister's. Castle and Kate watched on with love as their two daughters danced a silly dance to the modern song that was playing softly on the stereo system.

"Life is so good. Can we just freeze frame this moment forever?" Kate sighed happily, leaning into her fiance's shoulder.

"What, you don't want to marry me?" Castle asked, with mock offense.

"Well, let's just see how the wedding turns out. It's only two weeks away, and you Mr. have not even chosen a best man yet", Kate told him.

He pulled away from her and said. "I have so."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "You have? Who is it?"

"You, my lady, will just have to wait and see", Castle said mysteriously.

"What?!" Kate said with her voice raised. "You can't keep details from me, this is our wedding, I need to know so I can tell the wedding planner who to sit him with."

"You get to keep the dress a secret from me. I should get to keep one little secret from you."

"The best man is not a little secret Castle. The best man is kind of a big deal."

"Interesting how you call me Castle when you're a little bit annoyed at me. I kinda like it."

"Rick, changing subject will not help you."

"Alright guys and dolls, thank you so much for coming tonight to celebrate mine and Jenny's first year of marital bliss together", Ryan spoke from the far end of the room, interrupting Kate and Castle's argument.

Jenny was standing beside him, four months pregnant and glowing. Her red hair looked stunning against the aqua blue of her dress.

Ryan leaned over and took her hand. "We've also invited you here tonight, because as you all know, or maybe even can see..." Ryan placed a hand on her belly, causing Jenny to swat him with a laugh. "My wife is pregnant with our first child. Well, this week Jenny had her 16 week scan and we'd like to announce that-"

He let Jenny take over. "It's a boy!"

Everyone cheered.

"And man, is he going to be such a daddy's boy", Jenny laughed.

Kate turned to Castle and smiled. "Aw, that's so awesome", she said quietly. He could sense that she was feeling truly happy for them, but was also a bit jealous.

"When we have ours, they'll be best buds, aye hun?" Castle smiled at her softly, swallowing back his insecurity.

She forced a shaky smile to her face and replied even softer. "Yeah."

Castle shrugged lightly. "Who knows, he might even be the _best man_ at our son's wedding one day." He teased her, just to see her liven up again.

"Castle..." She growled, rolling her eyes.

Because he knew she secretly loved it.

...

They all sat down at the dinner table and chatted, Kate and Castle met some of Ryan and Jenny's other friends and had interesting and often humorous conversations about them both, which Ryan would occasionally step in and interrupt for fear of being totally humiliated.

When Esposito and Lanie arrived, they each gave Mikayla a high five and Lanie grinned as Esposito pulled her chair out for her to sit in.

The M.E bit her lip coyly as she leaned over to whisper into her best friend's ear "Psst, Kate", she whispered frantically.

Kate turned to her friend, laughing at her excitement. "Lanie, what is it? You look like a little girl who's just been given a puppy."

"Javi asked me to move in with him!" She squeaked.

Kate squealed in delight and threw her arms around Lanie. "Oh Lanie, you see, I told you he cared about you! Oh I'm so happy for you guys."

Kate turned and winked across the table at Esposito who was talking to Ryan. He looked at her and acknowledged her with a small grin.

Castle was helping Mikayla with her napkin on Kate's other side. "Good girl sweetie, how do you say "hungry"?"

Mikayla sucked in a deep breath and made a small gurgling noise that almost sounded like "huun-ry" while she signed, putting her fingertips to her chest and dragging them down to her abdomen.

Castle let out a laugh of surprise. "Oh sweetie, that's it, you can do that M.J, you can speak. I believe in you Mikayla. Kate- Kate!" He spun around in his chair, getting Kate's attention.

"Hun, I think she's trying to speak."

Kate gasped. "Oh baby girl, can you say something to me... please M.J?"

Mikayla pursed her lips shyly. She looked frightened.

"It's OK sweetheart, it's OK. We'll get there, we'll get there together", Kate told her gently, before turning back around to talk to Lanie.

Esposito came around and patted Castle on the back and the two men fell into conversation.

Therefor, no one heard when the little girl whispered "Love you."

...

.


	23. Chapter 23

**This is it folks, the last chapter of the "The Future Starts Today/Past Starts Tomorrow" saga. **

**I hope you've enjoyed the ride as much as I have. With all the comments and favorites and alerts that have been coming in, it has been a true honor and privilege to write this story for you to read, and I thank my loyal readership sincerely for your ongoing support. **

**So, yup, final chapter - had to go big. This is the longest chapter BY FAR that I've written for this story, but if you've been following the story, you definitely won't be sorry for reading the whole thing as there are many little goodies along the way... **

**...Including, YES - ANOTHER original song... I'm a songwriter, that was my first interest in writing, and so being able to combine my love of writing fanfiction with my ultimate passion and what I hope to be my career, has been a true blessing for me and I thank you so much for taking the time to listen. **

**So, the song is called "Forever and Always (A Castle/Beckett wedding song)" if you search for that on Youtube you'll find it - don't spoil yourself by opening the link before you've actually read up to that part in the story though ;-) **

**So thank you, thank you, a million times thank you. I won't be going anywhere anytime soon, I'll probably do a couple more one shots pretty soon. The first promo pic for season 5 was released today and I can already see that it is going to be a pretty inspiring season of Castle! **

**Peace and love, **

**Renee. **

**...**

The day of the wedding had seemed so far away, right up until the day itself actually arrived.

Small droplets of rain had begun to fall during the night and so the ground was wet when Kate climbed out of the ferrari, followed by Lanie and her two daughters.

"Careful sweetie, lift your dress up, OK? We don't want it getting wet", Kate warned Mikayla who looked primed to have some fun jumping in the puddles.

"Come here you", Alexis lifted her little sister into her arms, an unabashed grin on her face.

"You OK hunny?" Lanie asked her best friend as Kate stopped for a moment, looking nervous.

"Yeah, just anxious", Kate smiled shakily.

Lanie chuckled. "Probably this rain giving you cold feet... literally."

Kate laughed hesitantly. "Yeah, come on girls, let's get inside."

...

Castle meanwhile was already inside the church, waiting in a small room off the main cathedral.

He looked dashing in his tuxedo, though he kept on returning to the mirror to straighten his tie or move a stray piece of hair out of his eyes.

His pacing was driving his groomsmen insane.

"Bro, chill out. It's Beckett, you two are going to be together forever. You love her and she loves you. It's your wedding day, so just enjoy it", Esposito told him.

"Yeah I mean it's not like you haven't done this before", Ryan said, earning him a glare from Esposito.

"I just wish I knew where the hell my best man was!" Castle grit his teeth nervously.

At that moment, a man in a checkered shirt and khakis burst into the room. "I'm sorry I'm late, I had a patient that required my immediate attention", Doctor Turner, the neurologist who had treated Castle in hospital six months ago, apologized.

"Why aren't you dressed?" Castle asked him in a panic.

"I didn't have time, but I'll do it now... don't stress yourself, if you have an episode, and I have to treat it, I'm going to have to charge you", Doctor Turner teased him.

The doctor disappeared into the bathroom to change into his own tux.

Castle sighed, finally flopping down into a chair.

"Come on Rick, pull yourself together", he muttered to himself.

Ryan and Esposito shared a pitying, though humored look.

...

"M.J, do you have the flowers?" Kate blurted out.

Her younger daughter nodded cautiously.

"Mom, she's holding them, they're right there in her hands", Alexis told her, placing a hand on the detective's shoulder.

Kate inhaled and exhaled. "I'm sorry M.J, I'm sorry everyone, I-I just..."

Lanie gave her a soft smile of reassurance. "We know sweetie, you want it to be perfect, and it will be, don't you worry."

Kate smiled for a moment, before her face turned slightly green. "Oh god", she exclaimed, before bolting toward the bathroom.

The girls all grimaced as they could hear her retching in the stall. "Are you OK hunny?" Lanie yelled out to her.

" 'm fine", Kate gurgled back weakly, before proceeding to throw up again.

...

Martha arrived on the arm of Mr. Davenport, just as Castle moved with his groomsmen and best man into the main cathedral. "Mother", he smiled at Martha, his eyes twinkling with happiness.

"Oh Richard", Martha whimpered softly as she moved forward and hugged her son tightly to her. "This is it darling. This is going to be the one that will last forever", she smiled with tears in her eyes.

Castle sighed happily. "I know."

Jim Beckett arrived just behind them, his lady friend Rebecca had her arm loosely wrung around his.

"Jim", Castle greeted his soon to be father-in-law with a large smile and a hand shake.

"I never imagined this day would come, I didn't know if Katie could ever love anyone this much. After all, she was forever comparing her love for people to the love she had for Johanna. It seemed like she was always just trying to fill that void."

Castle swallowed, gazing gently at the man who had lost just as much, if not more than his daughter.

Jim continued. "And then she met you, and all the rules changed. She realized that true love doesn't replace former loves, it just accompanies them. Her mother will always be with her..."

Jim choked up. "She would have been so proud", he sobbed.

Rebecca tightened her hold on him and Jim looked up at her and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Go and see Kate, she'll be waiting for you", Castle told him softly.

Jim nodded. "Thank you son."

"Thank _you_ Jim, for giving me your daughter", Castle smiled sincerely at him as he walked in the direction of the bridal waiting room.

Rebecca whispered to him. "I'll go find a seat, I'll see you soon."

"Go sit with Martha and her date in the front pew. I want you beside me when my daughter is married", Jim told her, raising his hand to her face to stroke it tenderly.

Rebecca smiled in return and went to sit down next to Martha and Greg.

Jim went to the room where Kate, Lanie and the girls were. "Knock, knock", he said quietly, before entering.

"Daddy", Kate rushed over to him and grabbed him tightly in a hug.

When she stepped back, Jim looked at her in her dress and for a moment, his breath escaped. "Katie, you look so beautiful."

A tear fell from her eye. "Thanks Dad. Have people started arriving?"

Jim nodded "Yeah, there were a few cars behind me. A couple of reporters as well, I think they just want a few pictures", Jim told her.

"Oh that's right, I forgot who I was marrying", Kate chuckled.

Jim laughed. "Well as long as you say the right name at the alter."

"Yeah and that name better not be Castle", Lanie joked.

Kate shook her head, grinning now. "It'll be Rick... It'll always be Rick."

...

"Please stand", the priest instructed the large crowd as the wedding march began to play.

Kate gave her daughters one last kiss each and straightened herself up, preparing to walk down the aisle. She prompted Mikayla to go and the little girl jumped on the spot, very excitedly, before walking nice and slowly, just as they'd practiced.

She threw her rose petals out of the little basket and by the time she got half way down they aisle, most of them were gone. The audience laughed, and photographers clicked their cameras.

Kate watched her adoringly, Jim chuckling beside her, and weeping at the same time, and then suddenly, her eyes landed on area surrounding the pulpit, or more specifically, on Rick.

To her, he was perfection and in that moment, it all sunk in. All the things he'd ever done for her, all the times he'd saved her life and she just wanted to grab him and hold him close to her forever, whispering words of gratefulness and of love and devotion.

Her eyes moved, curiously to his side, she had still yet to find out who his best man was. Who she saw there beside him, surprised and delighted her.

When Kate reached the alter, she kissed her father and he took her hands in his own before shaking Rick's hand, and stepping away from the two of them. He looked up at the pulpit in reminiscence of standing here many years ago at his own wedding, with his own bride. He gave the couple his blessing by nodding toward them and returned to his seat.

Kate looked over at Doctor Turner who winked at her. "It's nice to see you again, doctor Turner", she smirked.

He grinned at her "This is so much better than a dedication in a book."

Kate laughed and then turned toward her boys, Ryan and Esposito were both beaming at her.

Then her attention turned to the man in front of her and she hadn't noticed until now that he was crying. "Oh Rick", she bit her own lip to stop it from shaking, without much success

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Richard and Katherine..."

The priest gave a short spiel about Rick and Kate's lives and how they were committing to each other in a union under God, and it made the reality of the situation both sink in further into Rick's conscious.

"Richard and and Katherine, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?"

"We have", they answered in unison.

"Will you honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives?"

"We will."

"Will you accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?"

They looked into one another's eyes. "We will."

"Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church", he instructed them.

Rick took Kate's hands in his own and looked at her wide-eyed, glancing toward the ceiling as if the wrath of God was surely about to impede on a non-Catholic man getting married in his church.

Kate narrowed her eyes at him but smirked at the same time.

"Richard, if you will respond to this with a simple "I do", please...Richard, do you take Katherine to be your wife?"

"I do!" Rick answered quickly and Kate snickered as the priest gave him a narrowed look. "I'm not finished yet", he hissed.

"Oh, sorry, p-please continue father", he stumbled and Kate looked at him adoringly.

"Do you promise to be true to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and honor her all the days of your life?

Rick glanced from him to Kate and when it became apparent that he was in fact done, Rick breathed. "I do".

Katherine, do you take Richard to be your husband? Do you promise to be true to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and honor him all the days of your life?

Kate simpered. "I do".

The priest recited a prayer and then asked for the rings, which Ryan presented to both Rick and Kate.

"Katherine, please take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit", Rick coughed as he slid the golden wedding band onto her ring finger.

Kate repeated the sentiment. "Richard, please take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

"Now, before we conclude this ceremony, Richard's mother Martha would like to do a reading, chosen specifically by Katherine", the priest said.

Martha stood in front of Rick and Kate and raised her head to the crowd, adjusting her stance to one appropriate for a performance.

She began to read the poem that Johanna had read at her own wedding.

_"They say that love is a fiery flame _

_That kindles when souls who are destined, meet _

_Sometimes it flickers, quiet and tame _

_Sometimes it burns with a naked heat _

_The heart may pound, strong with desire _

_The blood will flow, ripe hot and swift _

_The eyes will light in a hearty fire _

_The lips will meet in a silent gift _

_For we know that love's a perilous game_

_Fraught with plentiful pitfalls and snares_

_Often to end in heartache and shame_

_When the other one no longer cares_

_We've kindled our passion over the years_

_Being respectful of each other's needs_

_Sharing the joys, laughter and tears_

_Rising up when the darkness impedes_

_So bring on the thrust of naked desire_

_Let us no longer cautiously wait_

_Time is too precious and brief is the fire_

_And my love burning for you cannot wait_

_This initial longing some lovers spoil _

_By treading too lightly or moving too fast _

_But we have tread soundly, been slow to the boil _

_And so our heat, my love, will surely last" _

The priest was blushing by the time Martha finished the salacious reading.

When Martha went to walk back to her seat, Kate reached out a hand to touch her arm in a gesture of thanks.

"I love you kids", Martha whispered, before returning his seat.

Rick raised an eyebrow at Kate. "Your Mom was a firecracker!" He grinned at her.

Kate chuckled and then glanced over to see her father in tears at hearing the poem that was written for him by his late wife.

He nodded his approval and Kate smiled at him.

Rick's hands were shaking slightly and Kate stroked them gently with her two thumbs. He took in a deep breath and looked into her eyes with what he hoped was enough depth to say "I love you, and I just can't believe you have just agreed to be mine forever".

"And so, by the power vested in me by the Catholic Church, I now pronounce you husband and wife", the priest finished his obligatory reading.

The audience cheered as Rick and Kate couldn't contain their joy, both grinning from ear to ear as they leaned into each other and shared their first kiss as a married couple.

"I love you", he whispered to her.

"I love _you", _she returned.

Rick extended his arms to his two daughters and he leaned down to pick up Mikayla in his arms. Alexis joined the huddle and the four-some hugged one another tightly.

"We love you girls", Kate told them.

"We love you too Mom", Alexis told her and Mikayla held up her right thumb, index finger and pinky in her sign for "I love you".

Various people came up to Kate and Rick to congratulate them. Some of the people Kate had invited but not really expected to turn up, such as her old friend Madison and even Captain Gates had shown up with her husband to celebrate with the pair.

Lanie held Kate tightly, her smile uncontrollable and infectious. "Congratulations Mrs Castle."

Kate laughed gleefully and shook her head. "Wow."

'Ladies and gentlemen, the reception is being held over at "le Parker Meridien", so if you'd all like to make your way over there, we'll see you all very shortly", Rick announced.

He turned towards Ryan and Esposito. "Treat it like you'd treat your son", he pleaded with Ryan, presenting him with the keys to his ferrari.

Ryan smiled at him reassuringly, however as soon as they were ten feet away from Castle, Esposito took the keys from his partner.

"Alright M.J sweetheart, you're going to go with Lanie and Alexis in the town car to the restaurant OK?" He knelt in front of her, giving her a gentle and unwavering look of affection.

Mikayla shook her hands to signify that she was happy with that arrangement. Even the four year old understood the sanctity of the newlyweds spending the next 20 or so minutes alone together, as they traveled to the destination of the reception.

Or perhaps she just really wanted to ride with her big sister.

Rick stood up and turned to Kate who had just finished a conversation with her Dad and Rebecca.

"Oh, Mrs. Castle, will you come with me, please?", Rick took his brand new wife's hand in his own, looking at her with the same expression a toddler might look at a lollypop.

Kate smiled at him effervescently as they proceeded to walk out of the church. "Anywhere", she replied.

...

Their chauffeur opened the door for Rick and Kate. Rick allowed Kate to slide into the limo first, bounding in after her with a huge grin plastered on his handsome face.

"That was a beautiful ceremony, wasn't it a beautiful ceremony darling?" Kate gushed, leaning her head on his broad shoulder.

"It sure was sweetheart."

He felt her laugh reverberate against his shoulder and he tilted his head to look at her questioningly. "What?" He chuckled.

Kate sat herself up. "Oh I was just thinking about the look on your face when the priest was talking about the sanctity of marriage and how you were declaring your love in front of God, and in _his _church. You looked so terrified... You know, God won't really smite you if something happens to our marriage", Kate nudged him lightly in his side.

Rick put his arm around Kate's shoulder and smiled at her. "Well, we're not even going to give him the option, are we?"

Kate sighed, full of happiness. "No, never."

Rick hummed and squeezed her tightly to him, then reached forward to the side compartment where a complimentary bottle of champagne sat in a bucket of ice. He pulled it out of the socket and smiled. "Would my wife care for a glass of bubbly?" He asked her in a mock french accent.

Kate laughed and shook her head. "No thank you."

Rick raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Oh, definitely", Kate told him, smiling at him.

Rick shrugged. "Hm, more for me then".

He proceeded to pour a glass and while he was busy doing that, Kate bit her finger. "Actually, I won't be drinking for a while", she said, when he'd swallowed a mouthful of the champagne.

"Why's that, my darling?"

Kate's small tentative smile turned slowly into a beaming grin, bright enough to turn the sun to shadow.

Rick raised the glass to his mouth and took a sip, for a while he held the liquid in his mouth, suddenly not able to swallow. He searched his wife's eyes for affirmation that was he was assuming she was telling him, was indeed, correct.

Her eyes told him, it was.

He swallowed the liquid slowly and then looked at her open mouthed. "K-Kate", he said softly.

Kate bit her lip, emotion taking over her.

"Oh Kate!" Rick lurched forward and crushed his wife in his strong embrace. "Are- are you sure?"

"Positive", Kate nodded with tears in her eyes.

"When did you find out?"

"Just this morning. I always carry a pregnancy in my purse, you know, just in case the miracle occurred, and this morning I threw up and you know me, I never get sick. So I took the test, just to check and... I'm pregnant", Kate blubbered.

"Oh honey, did you tell Lanie and the girls?"

Kate shook her head. "No. No I wanted you to be the first to know."

Rick let out a sob and then took his wife's head in his hands and kissed her so passionately that the earth seemed to gravitate a million miles closer to the sun.

"I love you so much", he told her as they broke away, falling into each other's arms.

"I love you too."

"Are you sure you want to go to this party? We don't have to stay too long, I don't want you getting burned out."

Kate smiled at his protectiveness, placing a hand on his chest. "Are you kidding? We're having a baby, we've got to go celebrate with our friends and family."

"So you want to tell everyone?" Rick asked her.

"Yeah, only I want to tell the girls first."

Rick smiled down at her. "Yeah, me too. Oh my gosh, I can't wait to see the look on Alexis's face", he laughed.

"I know, me neither."

She laid her head on his broad shoulder again.

"You know what Kate?" He spoke softly.

"What Rick?"

Rick sighed with contentment. Life had never been so perfect as it was right in this moment.

He repeated the sentiment she'd voiced three months ago, the day they first met Mikayla. "I totally agree with you. God did good here... with us."

"Yeah he did."

Rick's dopey smile dropped from his face and he pursed his lips. "You remember the part where the priest asked us if we would accept children lovingly from God?"

"Yeah."

Rick chuckled heartily. "Can you imagine if he actually knew that our child had been conceived prior to our nuptials."

Kate laughed so much that the limo driver had to stop the car just so she could get some air.

...

When they arrived, all of their guests were already waiting in the beautifully decorated restaurant.

They all cheered when the couple entered and Kate and Rick went to sit at the head table where their wedding party were waiting for them.

They all ate and drank (Kate drank orange juice) their meal, Kate sat Mikayla on her lap, holding her tightly, assisting her while the little girl tried to use her knife and fork to eat her chicken.

Rick talked away to Ryan and Esposito and Doctor Turner and they laughed over various anecdotes.

Mikayla asked to be excused in sign language and Kate set her down and watched as Mikayla ran over to the kitchen area where Alexis was standing talking to someone who Kate couldn't quite see.

Kate turned her attention to Lanie and they chatted animatedly for a while.

Ten minutes later, when the main course plates had been cleared away, Kate tapped her husband on the shoulder. She mouthed "Alexis, Mikayla."

He nodded and excused himself from his conversation with the boys.

He took his wife's hand and walked with her across the hall. Several people wolf whistled at them and they both rolled their eyes. "Seriously, they really think we're doing that?" Kate laughed.

"Well, that bit comes later", Rick whispered hotly into her ear.

Kate shuddered and had to focus her mind back to the task at hand.

"Where are those two, anyway?"

"I don't know, they kind of disappeared. Maybe they went to the bathroom."

"OK, I'll go check- oh, here they are", Kate beamed, but her smile fell when she saw the looks on the two girls faces, like they were hiding something."

"What are you two ladies up to?" She asked suspiciously.

"Nothing, just hanging out."

"Don't you want to join the party?" Rick asked them, taking his older daughter's arm in his hand.

Alexis swallowed. "Mikayla's not really used to so many people. We just thought we'd take a little break."

Rick nodded, letting them get away with their little fib for now, besides he had more exciting news to tell them.

"I see... Well girls, your mother and I have something to tell you", Rick took Kate's hand in his free one and Kate reached out for Mikayla's so that they were in a kind of family circle.

"What is it?" Alexis asked, her eyes lighting up in expectation.

"I'm having a baby", Kate said sniffed.

Alexis gasped. "You're pregnant?!"

Kate nodded and Alexis barreled into her, apologizing afterward to her belly, or rather to the fetus inside.

Rick knelt down. "You're going to be a big sister, M.J! Are you excited about that?"

Mikayla jumped on the spot and let out a long squeal of delight.

Kate and Rick laughed. "I think that's a yes", Kate said.

The newlyweds turned to their two children and felt like the luckiest two people on earth.

"We love you girls. We love you so much", Rick told them and they all huddled together.

"We love you too", Alexis said.

"We love you too", Mikayla echoed so quietly that no one heard her.

Her sister's hand came in front of her little face however, giving her a discreet thumbs up.

...

They went back into the main hall together and Alexis and Mikayla came up to the top table with them while Rick managed to acquisition a microphone from somewhere.

"Ladies and gentlemen. My wife and I-"

The crowd cheered and Rick and Kate chuckled, holding each other closer. "Would like to say a huge thank you to everyone that is here today, and also to those who could not be here."

He swallowed and turned to Kate who gave his waist a squeeze.

"Also", he smirked. "I have an announcement to make... Kate, my darling, may I?" He asked his wife who nodded affirmatively.

He turned back to their guests and inhaled deeply. "I'm going to be a father. Kate's pregnant!"

There was a wave of surprise and delight that rippled through the room.

Next thing Kate knew, she was being suffocated by Lanie who was screaming in such a high pitched voice that it was difficult to discern her words.

Kate pulled away from her and provided her with a dazzling smile (not that she could get rid of it anyway.)

"Yup, it's true folks, and you know she only just told me on the way over here, which means through the whole wedding, she knew and I didn't."

Everyone laughed.

Castle pouted until Kate kissed him on the cheek. She then took the microphone from him. "Well, my darling, I actually have one more secret that I've been keeping from you... sound guys, are we good?"

There was a yell in the affirmative across the room from a technical looking man and Kate turned to her husband as music began to play over the speaker system.

"Rick, I love you. You were put on this earth just for me, you're my perfect man. You've done this for me and for our daughter, so now... this one's for you."

And she began to sing.

watch?v=s0Sr09iA9HA

_You're my knight in velcro armor _

_With "writer" written on the front _

_You're the charismatic charmer _

_Whose humor can be blunt _

_And despite my own prevention _

_You dragged me in to your convention _

_Where I found that you're nothing but a great big kid _

_But darling, I'm so happy that you did _

_Because a grown up world can be so bleak _

_And I was getting tired and weak _

_Before you took my hand _

_When I made my stand _

_And you taught me how to laugh again _

_And release the lock on the cage where I had been _

_And the very last thing you did to save my life _

_Was asking me if I would be your wife _

_And you saved me from this coffin _

_That I was being buried in _

_I was slowly drowning _

_Before you taught me how to swim _

_And I'm so glad I found you _

_And that you let my love surround you _

_And now whatever way our game of life all plays _

_I'll love you forever and always _

_And I can't wait to love you for the rest of time _

_'Cos you're the reason to this rhyme _

_And you saved me from this coffin _

_That I was being buried in _

_Yeah, I was slowly drowning _

_Before you taught me how to swim _

_And I'm so glad I found you _

_And that you let my love surround you _

_And now whatever way our game of life all plays _

_I'll love you forever and always _

_Always _

_Always _

When she'd finished her song, the crowd around them whooped and hollered, but Kate was zoned in completely to her husband, who stepped forward and hugged her with all his might. "That was beautiful. Thank you my love."

"You're so welcome hunny. I just, I needed to thank you for coming into my life, for saving me."

Rick's eyes watered as he held her even tighter in his strong arms.

"Alright you two, I think it must be time for the first dance", Martha came up to them, her eyes were red from crying. She pushed the newlyweds onto the dance floor.

Kate swooned as Rick danced duck-footedly with her. He wasn't about to win any dance contests but to her, he was the best dancer in the world.

When people started joining in, Kate and Rick took their parents into their embrace and both Jim and Martha shared with their children, words of joy and pride.

Kate let Jim go to Rebecca and in a way it seemed symbolic. Rick smiled as Rebecca congratulated Kate and the two women shared a hug.

When the two of them again, Rick leaned to whisper in her ear. "Your dad seems very happy."

Kate smiled. "Yeah, I think he finally is. That wall's finally come down for us both."

Rick gave her a watery smile and leaned forward to kiss her.

When they broke apart, Rick's eye wandered over to a young couple who were dancing together. He danced with Kate, moving deliberately over to where the redhead and the black greasy-haired kid were embracing.

"Ahem", he coughed rather indiscriminately.

"Hi Dad", Alexis gave him an innocent look.

"Hi Alexis... Max", Rick greeted the young man with a stern tone. "You know it's funny but I don't recall seeing a Maxwell Durnham on the guest list."

"Riiick", Kate groaned, wishing he could just let the pair be.

She knew things would be much worse between her husband and eldest daughter if he didn't.

Rick shushed her and raised his eyebrow at Max and Alexis.

Alexis was smirking.

"What are you looking so smug for young lady?" Rick narrowed his eyes at her.

"Dad, Max's Mom owns this restaurant. Max was the sous-chef that cooked our meals tonight."

Rick's eyes returned to their normal size and he pursed his lips together. "Oh."

"How was your salmon, Mr. Castle?" Max asked him, looking very pleased with himself.

Rick blinked. "It was delicious."

Alexis withdrew herself from Max's embrace and placed a hand on her father's arm. "You know what Dad, at some point I really hope you're going to learn to appreciate Max a little bit more. Even I've been hesitant about getting into a new relationship with someone. Since Ash, I didn't know if I could really trust my heart with anyone again. But Max is everything I want and slowly, I'm starting to realize that he may just be everything I need as well."

"I know pumpkin, but what kind of Father would I be if I didn't resent the boy who might be taking away my little girl from me?"

Alexis stood on her tip toes to kiss him on the cheek. "I'll always be your little girl Daddy, always."

He nodded with a sigh.

"Now", Alexis bit her lip, seemingly containing a grin. "Do you mind if Max and I continue our dance? He's totally clumsy, but he tries."

Castle chuckled. "Perhaps he and I have more in common than I realized."

Alexis giggled and rejoined Max in their dance, glancing behind her as her father and mother re-acclimated.

"Anyway you two might want to focus your attention to the front of the room, it looks as if someone's about to make an announcement", Alexis told them coyly.

Rick and Kate turned their heads around and chuckled adoringly but unwittingly when they saw their younger daughter at the front of the room, holding the microphone steady in her hands.

Needless to say, Max and Alexis had to pick the two of them up off the floor when their little Mikayla said in a soft but very concise voice. "Happy wedding day Mommy and Daddy. Love, Mikayla."

THE END


End file.
